PEACE CONFERENCE.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 February 1919, Page 5

PEACE CONFERENCE.

INTERNATIONAL ARMY PARIS, February 12. It is understood that the Anglo - merican representatives on the. iciety of Nations have adopted the reach view of the necessity for an Hincil has decided on the conditions r of the armistice. A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. BOLSHEVIKS A MENACE TO WORLD PEACE. Received 9-50 a.m. LONDON, February 12. " Lloyd George said no proposal had jen made at the Peace Conference to icognise the Bolsheviks. Russia prented a difficult problem. While the imense country is seething with anchy, disorder, and bloodshed the orld could not Eav© peace. The Govnment is considering alternative ethods, including honest, straightforard intervention. The Allies had Lready provided these Huns with muItions. ‘America was sending neither en, money, nor material. If men ent England and France would have > provide them. The Government ought to confer with the Bolsheviks i the hope of finding a way out of ie chaos. FRENCHMEN PUZZLED BY PEACE CONFERENCE. FRANCE’S SAFETY SHOULD yy COME FIRST. PARIS, February 11. On every hand in France a chorus f complaint is rising -concerning the ack of method and coherency in he Conference. Frenchmen cannot mderstand why the League of Naions is forced to the front and the Hairs of the Jugo-Slavs and other tew comers considered before France’s iastern frontiers are secured, and »eace‘ensured. Discussion of the hew irmistiee term brought matters to a lead, bringing up most critical quesions, on which the whole future of >caee may depend. The French inist upon the unrepentable warlike pirit of Germnay, some newspapers laiming that France must immedidely raise her voice and appeal to he publics of Britain and America. The Echo de Paris says: “France vill be the first to suffer from the nistakes new being piled up. Why ihould idealogy bo allowed to rean obstacle to victory so iearly bought? We must behave again is though the task is to crush the memy. If we arc resolute, the enjmy will yield. We must then auild a system of alliances guaran;eeing_ the future. All the rest is nothing ‘{but (astronmer literature. ” This quotation from the Echo de Petris represents the extreme view, rut, in varying tunes and voheuence, the whole press implores President Wilson to look upon realities ind abandon the old idea of peace without victory The Germans are iceustomed only to methods of strength, as evidenced by the destruction of French industry, with the object of compelling France to purchase machinery and materials. Germany, would thus monopoise French markets, and make Ger-nan-equipped French industry into in auxiliary of German industry in the '■ fight against Anglo-Saxon coinnerce. Germany has not abandoned ;he principles of watching for every sign of a crack in alliance. As an instance, the news of Britain’s ac;eptance of the mandatory • system For the colonies, ied to a great denand in Berlin for colonial stocks, iue to the belief that German comlanies will be able to carry on iniustries.

AN international army and NAVY. ♦ OPPOSED TO ANGLO-AMERICAN THEORIES. Received 10.20 a.m, PARIS, February 13. There is reason to believe both France and Japan have taken strong exception to certain clauses of the league of Nations. The drafting com* nittee at present is endeavouring to econcile the demands. Somewhat heated discussions have taken place over the creation of an international army and navy, which ire said to be opposed to Anglo-Am-erican theories, while France remains insistent for something that will give protection against the possibility of a ajlitant Germany. PROTECTING BEBLGTUM. BY EXTENDING HER FRONTIERS. Received 10.20 a.m. * ‘r* PASIS, February 13. Ftaser says: “Broadly ipealdhg, Belgium asks her allies to )lace her in a favourable position ter■itorially to secure better defence, ioth Parnce and Belgium realise their

vulnerability with more land frontiers. Belgium would like to secure her old position at Limburg, and further desires the Walloon cantons on oerman territory round Malzdy. She also desires the amalgamation of Luxemburg. DETAILS OP ARBITRATION PLAN PARIS, February 11. Pull details of the arbitration articles of the League of Nations are now available, but it is not ceitain whether the final draft will be absolutely a pledge that all members of the League will go to war against a nation refusing to accept the arbitration system. The articles state that the parties agree when deputies cannot be adjusted by ordinary diplomacy that they will in no case resort to armed force without previously submitting the questions and matters involved to arbitration or inquiry by the Executive Council, and until three months after the arbitrators’ award or the Council s recommendation has been promulgated They further agree that they will not even resort to armed force as against iai member of the League which complies with the award or recommendation. They can enter war only when an outside State or a member of the' League refuses to comply with the award. The parties further agree that when a dispute or a difficulty arises between them which they recognise as suitable for arbitration, and cannot satisfactorily be settled by diplomacy, they will submit the whole subject to arbitration, pledged to carry out in full good faith the award or decision. For this purpose the court shall be such a court as agreed upon by the parties. or stipulated in any convention existing between them. The executive will, when directed, formulate plans for establishing a permanent court of international justice, which will be regarded as competent to hear and determine matters which the parties consider suitable.

The articles in all number about twenty. The question of the abrogation of existing treaties, the registration of treaties, and open diplomacy are. .clearly defined. When the text is issued it . will be seen that some of. the most ambitious aspects of Wilsonian philosophy have been abandoned. For instance, no vast international police force is proposed but on the two main points of establishing a great working international organisation and the compulsory reference of disputes to j^rbitration, with v a time limit, the scheme is firm and substantial.

ANGLO-AMERICANS ADOPT FRENCH VIEWS.

PARIS, February 11

It is understood that the ‘Anglo-, American representatives adopted the French views on the necessity for an international army. (M. Leon Boureois proposed that an international military force should be stationed in France, as the strategic centre of Europe.)