PEACE TALK.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 January 1918, Page 6

PEACE TALK.

TROTSKY'S PEACE NOTE. TIIE ALLIES' AT'iTf UDIJ. Received Dee. 31, f1.5 p.m. 'Washington, Dec. 30. It is generally expected the Allies will receive a note from Trotsky containing Count Czernin's proposal. It is believed the Allies will formally answer the note, thus robbing Germany of the moral advantage she hoped to gain by the peace oli'er. LABOR'S VIEWS. London, Dee. 30. At the Labor Conference, Mr. Henderson, in the course of his speech, suggested that we should treat with Austria and 'Jnrkey, and thus reduce the fighting area and release men for necessary labor at home. This was met with cries of "No" and "Pro-German." Mr, Henderson declared that it was not surprising that neutrals and Russia/ even America, suspect us of annexationist designs. Labor could not allow this. The memorandum did not mean hands up or the white feather, but Labor asked an opportunity to ascertain how far Germany was prepared to accept its peace proposals.

Mr. Hill, 'boilermakers' representative, declared that we must fight until Germany repented her crimes and foil! murders.

Mr. Thomas, railwayman's representative, strongly disagreed with the suggested separate peace with Austria and Turkey. When peace was discussed it must be a world peace. Critics of the memorandum disclaimed the executive's audacity in forcing the conference to accept the memorandum immediately, holus bolus, when many delegates possessed no authority from their societies.

Mr. Henderson cabled to M. Huysmans, secretary of the International Socialists' Stockholm Conference, the decision, asking him to communicate it to the Petrograd Soviet, also intimating that the conference was opposed to a separate peace. THE CRUSHING OF PRUSSIAN MILITARISM. London, Dec. 30. The Central News states that Mr. Lloyd George, discussing war aims with the Labor Conference,'* executive, explained that the conference's proposals could only be discussed by the whole of the Allies. He emphasised the Allies' agreement that peace was impossible while militarists ruled Germany. The whole resources of the Allies and America were being concentrated for the crushing of Prussian militarism,