A PEACE CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1918, Page 5

A PEACE CONFERENCE.

A DinE<;T IXV CJ'AT lOX TO ORXTRAIJ rowKiw. l'ATli OF TIJIC CAPTORED COUL\LI«. Received .Tun. 7, 10.4;j p.m. London, Jan. 7. Some political correspondents i&ferpret Air, Lloyd George's speeeli as a direct invitation to tlie Central Powers to enter a peace conference, based 011 "no annexations and 110 indemnities." The speech places tlie onus 011 the Central Powers to make the next move. Bolshevik opinion in London welcomes tllic speech, which, they state, is almost wholly in accord with Bolslievik aspirations. They only regret that Mr. Llovd George refrained from giving a more direct invitation to an international confwvnee, which they believed to be imminent. Mr. Hvndman draWs attention to the variance between Mr. Lloyd George and President Wilson. The former says that Britain does not wish to change the German Government, whilst President Wilso.ll declared lie will not negotiate with the HoUienzollcrns. lie opines that Alsace-Lorraine cannot be restored to France until Germany is c! >r beaten or revolutionised He adds: "Our colonies must settle tlie fate of the captured colonies, instead of asking natives, jike those of Xew Guinea and Africa, to vote who had never voted before.''

AUSTRALIAN OPIXIOX. Received Jan. 7, 9.40 p.m. Sydney, Jan. 7. Mr. Lloyd George's speech is favorably received here. The press considers it clears the international atmosphere, which has been obscured 'by recent hazy peace talk. The war aims set forth are nidi as the Commonwealth will heartily endorse. , GERMAN OFFER TO BELGIUM. A Belgian newspaper, published in London, states that semi-official proposals were recently made by Germany to Belgium in view of the conclusion of a "lasting peace." The bearer of these proposals was a. well-known Belgian industrial and financial magnate, who knew personally Baron de Broquevilie, the Belgian Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs. He went to Paris toy way of Switzerland, and informed th<> Belgian Premier that lie was the bearer of information of paramount importance in view of Belgium's future, and asked for an interview. Baron de Broquevilie complied, and the meeting took place in the Hotel Ritz, Paris. The emissary tneie oxplained that he was commissioned by one of the highest German officials of occupied Belgium to ask Belgium to prepare for peace. This official was Freiherr von der Lancken, legal adviser to the German Government in Belgium. The procedure was to send semi-official Belgian and French delegates to Berne, Switzerland, who should lay down the basis of a "lasting peace" in friendly discussion with German delegates. The following "preliminary conditions" were presented:—(l) Complete restoration of Belgium; (2) recognition of Belgium's independence; (3) indemnity for war expenses and reparation of war destructions according to the Belgian common law; (4) convocation of tlie Peace Conference in Brussels under the presidency of King Albert. Baron de Broquevilie defeated this attempt to separate tlie allies. M. Briand, the French ex-Premier, was made acquainted with the proposal.