MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE REICHSTAG DEBATE. BRITISH COMMENTS. London, Oct. 27. Press comment on fuller reports of tiie Reichstag debate remark that there is a rotable change in the tone of the principal speakers. Dr. Solf is evidently preparing the German people for the surrender of Alsace-Lorraine, wfcen he describes the reorganisation whereinthe Alsaee-Lorrainers mav obtain the "%f to re S u,at ß their country's affairs. There is a similarly plaintive note iii the references to Poland. Dr. Solf complained that the Polish deputies' claim for Danzig was a contravention of President Wilson's doctrine of selfdetermination. Hcrr von Payer admitted that the present reforms were not final and must be extended. He declared that the German people'needed peace, and admitted tie enemy's distrust of German sincerity has not been without.grounds. Herr von Payer reproached the Conservatives, whose whole policy was responsible for Germany's predicament.—Aus, .N.Z. Cable Assoc. SUBMARINE BASES. IF GERMANY GETS BACK HER COLONIES.

London, Oct. 2(1. The Admiralty ;«s issued a striking map showing that the return of the German co'.onies would provide submarine bases threatening the whole world's trade routes. Submarines with a radius of 4000 miles from Rabaul and Samoa would be able to cut off evefy Australian port on the east coast, Japan and the Straits Settlements, and reach nearly to Panama.—United Service. BLOCKING PACIFISTS. ACTION BY BRITISH SEAMEN. London, Oct. 27. Mr. Henderson attempted to board a Folkestone vessel to attend a Socialist conference at Paris. The seamen, by instructions from the Sailors' and Firemen's Union, refused to sail if Mr. Henderson's party were passengers, the seamen saying: "Henderson is doing his work with the assistance of German money." Mr. Henderson decided to return to London, but a taxi-cab man refused to drive him from the station, and he and his friends were compelled to carry their luggage.—Aus. N.Z Cable Assoc, NATIONAL EXPENDITURE. London, Oct. 27. Select Committee on National Expenditure reports that tire existing procedure in the House of Commons inadequately secures proper parliamentary control over national expenditure. It recommends the appointment each session of two standing committees to consider the estimates and report to the House on desirable eonumiea which do not raise questions of policy Tiie House's endorsement of such economics against the wishes of the Government fhould not be regarded as a want of confidence motion.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. ALLIED PARLIAMENTARIANS. London, Oct. 27. The conference of inter-Allied Parliamentarians passed a resolution in favor of Allied joint industrial control of the production of aeronautical material, with a view to extensively bombing enemy territory, also the transfer of enemy ships to replace submarined merchantmen.—Aus. N_Z. Cable Assoc.