ARMISTICE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1919, Page 5

ARMISTICE

THE NEW CONDITIONS.. DECIDED UPON BY THE SUPREME WAR COUNCIL. Received Feb. 13, 11.45 p.m. London, Feb. 12. The Supreme War Council has decided upon the conditions of the renewal of the armistice.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. A SHORTER ARMISTICE. A NEW POSITION CREATED. Paris, Feb. 11. Probably a shorter armistice will be agreed upon to enable greater consideration of the questions which have arisen. _ There is a likelihood of a new situation if Germany really means, what some of them say, that the terms must be submitted to the Weimar Assembly, creating a position in which armistice terms might merge into the military peace terms. The War Council still awaits an answer to the question put to the Germans at the end- of the week that they should inform the Allies what stocks of war materials are still in their possession. It is understood that the latter proposition was put at the instance of President Wilson. The French consider that they have every grounds for resisting the admission of raw material to Germany The Ministry of Reconstruction declares that the enemy destroyed the factories only when he saw that defeat was inevitable. Four-sevenths of the- French sugar production came from the devastated area, and it is estimated that many years must elapse before the industry is'reinstated. The Germans long viewed with concern the rivalry iff sugar. The most wilful destruction and robbery were in connection with the textile industry. Over a million wool bobbins were destroyed out of 2,500,000, while 75 per cent, of the breweries were totally destroyed. Diplomatic circles are seriously diseasing a buffer state on the Rnine with a status under the League of Nations. The Belgian case is engaging the Council of ten to-day. It is' an interesting fact that non-belligerent interests will possibly be reviewed in regard to the Scheldt and Dutch territory on the left bank. The latter may be referred to the League of Nations, while the Scheldt will undoubtedly come within the scope of the Waterways Commission.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. A MILITARY PEACE. BRITISH AVERSE TO HUMILIATE GERMANS. i Paris, Feb. 11. There is a growing feeling that the new armistice conditions should be so framed as to bring about what may be termed a military peace. The British do not regard seriously the legality of importing something into the armistice which should belong to the peace treaty. Their anxiety is to get something done. Another view is held that the chief end of the armistice is to humiliate the Germans and make them feel they are down. The British arc not interested in humiliating the enemy for humiliation's sake. It is understood, however, that attention has been called to the particulars in which the Germans have evaded the terms already laid down, notably, the failure to return the securities stolen from the French and Belgian banks in occupied towns. Other delays are in carrying out the naval terms. The council is now discussing these evasions. The Germans slackened after first deliveries, and then some difficulty arose as to getting some of the material together, coupled with, perhaps, some slackening on our' part, leading the Germans to think they need not hurry, or might quietly evade the task. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.