THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1919, Page 5

THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS. QUESTION PRACTICALLY SETTLED. London, Jan 20. The Morning Tost's correspondent, in reference to the League oi Nations, states that the freedom of the seas is already satisfactorily settled President Wilson abandoned the idea of pressing his suggestion upon the conference. Regarding indemnities Mr Wilson is quite disinclined to punish Germany by imposing indemnities The French have already mads out their bill. Frenchmen cannot conceive the possibility of a just peace which does net make Germany pay heavily. Britain so far has taken no practical step* regarding indemnities, but is definitely committed to the plan after tta recent elections. Though Britain ttus far has no policy, Mr. Lloyd George Mems to be in cordial agreement with il. Clemenceau on the subject-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. New York, Jan 19 Mr Bernard Shaw, in an article published in the New York papers, says England'* fleet must command the sea. No rival or combination of rivals must be capable of overcoming her fleet. If the United States builds a thousand new battleships England will build two thousand five hundred. England cannct permit a Continental Power to acquire such military predominance in Europe as to deprive England of the power of defeating her by throwing British forces in the scale against her So great Powei must be allowed to control the shores •f the North Sea, thereby cutting off £agland's military to the Continent This is the English equivalent to the Monroe doctrine - ,ius.-N.2. Cable Aisn. London, Jaa 22. Mr Hughes says Australia is not enthusiastic about tli* League of Nations, corndermg its utopiin. A mo.-e practical (lan would be to eradicate war by international regulation ot economy and commercial friendship He is surprised that hiit view relating to the Pacific Islands has offended Japan.—Aus -N ZCable Assn.

REPRESENTATION MATTERS. POSITION OF DOMINION Paris, Jan 23 ilr W. V Lloyd, Premier of Newfoundland, has been appointed the fifth member of the British delegation. The other members are Mr Lloyd George, Mr Balfour, Mr Bonar Law, and Mr Barnes. The appointment of Mr Lloyd effaces the inequality under which Newfoundland suffered by being the only Dominion without a special delegation Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. London, Jan 20 Mr Massey states that the difficulty of the right of speech for New Zealand's second delegate remains for settlement The British Government is quite sound on the matter. The trouble is with certain Allies, who reckon ca h Dominion representative afe one Tote for Britain—Aus.-N.Z Cable Assn.

THE RUSSIAN QUESTION. Alt AGREEMENT TH^AfTTTF.n New York Jan 22 The United Press Paris correspondent States that it certain that the Russian Soviet will have a limited numW of representatives at the Peaoe Conference —Aus.-N.Z Cable Aasn Received Jan. 23, 5.5 p.m Paris, Jan. 22. President Wilson addressed the conleretice on the Russian situation, outlining his plan. It is understood that Mr. Lloyd George fears that military intervention would lead to the creation of a national army j on the lines of the French revolution French opinion urges support for the foles thereby limiting the spread of Bolshevism The conference reached an agreement regarding Russia in the form of inviting all de facto governments, including the Bolsheviks, to send representatives, pro- j nded they prove they are not conducting ! war outside their own territory.—Aus.! N.Z Cable Assoc Received Jan. 23, 7.40 pm Paris, Jan 21 Mr Fraser statjs it is understood that Britain and America have reached a complete understanding on the Russian situation gome time ago a suggestion was made that if the various Russian Governments could arrive at some agree ment among themselves measures would have been taken to secure their representation at the Peace Conference It is possibly along these lines that America and Britain have agreed. An official communique states that President Wilson, the Premiers and j- Foreign Ministers of the great Powers, " assisted by Japan., have received Scavenius's statement giving all information at his disposal in reference to the Russian parties. Very great progress was made towards an agreement, and'it is hoped a concrete proposal will be formulated to-morrow

Received Jan. 23, 7.30 p.m. Paris, Jan. 22. The lnter-AUied Conference decided to invite the Russian factions to confer with the Allies at the Princes Islands, in- the Sea of Marmora. Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward have protested at the decision granting only one delegate to New Zealand.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. A NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE POLISH SITUATION.

Received Jan. 23, 10.30 pm Paris Jan. 20 ?.f Mou'ens, recently French Ainbasnador in Eussia, gave evidence to thi Conference on Monday The Danish iimisver from Petrograd, Komorrov/ and Sazonoff, have joined "Makaloff. Barton «nd Korff, at Paris, and it will "be something like a National Advisory Committee when FehaykovsEy has arrived The construction of Paderewski's coalition Cabinet gTeatly clears the Polish iitimtior. It is hoped there will be a reconciliation between Paaerewski and ' Geiwril PiUwudski Until the Constituent Assembly meets, the appointment of regular Polish delegates will greatly ieta the Conferen£e ; —Cable &ssoe.

WILSON'S PROPOSAL ' ACCEPTED. , ; MEETING FIXED. 1, r Received Jan. 23, 845 j>.m London, Jan 22. The Conference accepted President Russian proposal disclaiming any desire to interTere in the Russians' light to settle their own affairs, every organisoJ group exercising political and military control- Siberia and European Russia will send tnree representatives to meet Allied representatives at I'rincM Islands, Sea if Marmora, on February 15, :n order to discuss Russia's w>shes about bringing about happy internal relationsThe invitation is conditional on the cessation of all hostilities.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assoc.

GERMANS IN THE PACIFIC. AMERICAN PRESS COMMENTS. a MENACE TO DOMINIONS. Received Jan. 23, 5-.5 p.m. New York, Jan 20. The New York Sun, commenting editorially regarding Australia's claims at the Peace Conference, said the islands of New Guinea in the hands of an unfriendly Power would constitute a serious menace to Australia. Both Australia and New Zealand were determined to lid themselves of German influence in the Pacific Australia will continue to depend or. England for the defence of her coast, and this defence is likely to form a strong link between Australia and England The New York World'. o Plymouth correspondent states that Mr Massey, on landing, said: "We are determined to banish the Germans from the Pacific."

PACIFIC ISLANDS. AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN ■Received Jan. 23. 11.10 p.m. • - Paiis, Jan. 21 Mr. Murdoch states that in an interview given by Mr- Hughes to American journalists, he indicated lus intention to strenuously oppose Japanese annexation of the Marshall and Caroline Islands President Wilson desires that the Pacifio Islands should be internationalised under the League of Nations, with Britain as the mandatory Power charged by the led sue with administration and control. Britain and Japan would be wise to use the line of the Equator to divki? their spheres of influence, Australia and New Zealand annexing the islands southward, and Japan northward of the Equator. Britain claims that Mr. Fisher's Government in 1915 accepted this solution, but it appears that Mr. Hughes does not agree to this plan An urgent question is whether Australasia would prefer America as the mandatory Power for all the German possessions in the Pacific, or Britain, or a solution by accepting the Equator as marking the terminus of the southward descent of the Japanese. Perhaps it is still possible to secure a mandatory control over the Marshalls and Calolines foT Britain, provided Japan receives territorial compensation elsewhere—United Service. i

CZECHOSLOVAK DEMANDS. CONTROL OF BOHEMIA, MORAVIA, AND SILESIA. Received Jan. 23, 5.5 p.m. New York, Jaii. 20. The Czecho-Slovak National Council representatives at Washington announce tint the Czecho-Slovaks will demand the control ot Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia at the Peace Conference.—Aus_ N.Z. Cable Assoc. ~