THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1919, Page 5

THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

THE RHINELAND FORMULA. PROTESTS AGAINST DELAYS AND SECRECY. PEACE OR CHAOS. Received April 6, 5.5 p.m. Paris, April 4. Messrs Tardieu (France), Haskins (America), and Morey (Britain) constitute the committee to find a Rhineland formula. The newspapers unfavorably comment on the delay occasioned by referring so -many matters to - committees. The Daily Mail, in showing a marked hostility to Mr. Lloyd George's policy, girds at the lack of publicity of the conference's doings, and declares that if the conference fails it will be due to secretiveness. The conference has now reached its eleventh hour, and the stroke of twelve will ring in peace or chaos. — Aus. Cable Assoc.

BJtITAIN AND FRANCE AGREE. IMPATIENCE AT DELAYS SUGGESTED DISAGREEMENTS. Paris, April 4. Mr. Lloyd George, interviewed, stated that Britain was in full accord with the desire of France for the fullest reparation from Germany. Britain would present her bill to Germany, who has got to find a way of meeting it.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc Mr. Lloyd George in an interview declared the rumors erroneous that he opposed France's demand for guarantees and the left bank of the Rhine. Britain wants France to enjoy complete security. Britain is willing to repeat her sacrifices if required for France's peace and independence.—Aus. N.Z Cable Assoc. London, April 4.

Impatience at the slow progress of the Peace Conference is increasing. Correspondents indicate that there are acute differences, and bint at the possibility of a breakdown. They protest against the selfishness of some delegates, and emphasise the dangers of secrecy since the delegations are working in watertight compartments. Correspondents fear that a hastily patched up .peace will be the result.

The perilous position of 12,000 British troops in north Russia is arousing intense indignation and anxiety. The newspapers demand energetic united Allied action. The papers declare that the failure of the conference to define the Russian policy is responsible for the situation.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

CLEAVAGE OVER FRENCH CLAIMS. PRESS COMMENTS. Received April 6, 5.5 p.m. London, April 5. The newspapers are becoming increasingly outspoken regarding the Paris cleavage. The Ministerialist papers approve of Mr. Lloyd George's utterance reconciling President Wilson's and M. Clemenceau's divergent views. The Morning Post protests that Mr. Lloyd George does not affirm full and unqualified support of France's claims. The Daily News says that if the French policy is followed the League of Nations will be impossible.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. INTERNATIONAL LABOR MOVEMENT. OPPOSITION TO PRO-GERMAN AND PRO-BOLSHEVIK WING. SUPPORT OF LEAGUE. Received April 6, 5.5 p.m.

Paris, April 3 Tie outcome of the friendly relations between the leading representatives of Franco-American Labor and Socialist bodies is the inauguration of a movement opposed to the pro-German and pro-Bolshevist wing of the international labor movement. A manifesto has been issued calling on the Socialists to support the League of Nations, which should only admit as members those nations giving the people self-government, and Who give an effective guarantee to observe their international obligations and Mduce armaments compatible with their International obligations. The American delegation decided not to publish the report by Mr. Bullitt, the American journalist who recently visited Russia as a sort of unofficial representative of the American Government. It is persistently rumored that Bullitt brought back a proposition from Lenin that the report should be decidedly proBolshevist, and declared that the Soviets were de facto the government in a large part of Russia.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

WHAT THE GERMAN TERMS WOULD HAVE BEEN. Received April 6, 5.5 p.m. London, April 4. x*e Frankfurter Zeitung states that Herr Ladaurer, one of the people's delegates at Munich, declares lie possesses a memorandum prepared by Herr Erzberger in December, 1914, showing Germany's peace terms that she would have imposed on the Allies. The terms include the annexation of Belgium and Normandy, a compact African empire, and an indemnity sufficient to meet the entire German debt.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. MR. LLOYD GEORGE RETURNING TO LONDON. London, April 4. The return of Mr. Lloyd George is ejpee i>d shortly owing to the advancement the Peace Conference made in arriving at final findings.—Au. RZ. Cable

THE DEADLOCK CONTINUES. CLEMENCEAU STANDS FIRM. PREPARING FOR GERMANY'S REFUSAL TO SIGN. Received April 6, 5.5 p.m. Paris, April 4. The deadlock continues. The question is who will give in first. President Wilson and Mr. Lloyd George offer France the neutralisation of the left bank of the Rhine and the Saar Valley, but M. Clemenceau refuses any solution other than annexation of the Saar and a lengthy occupation of the Rhine. The British delegation thinks the position is grave, hut expects an early decision. The greatest danger seems to be that the decision will raise a storm of protest, and perhaps repudiation by France, whilst the publication of the indemnity terms is expected to disturb the British public. The Supreme Council, in response to the lashings of the press, has issued a peremptory order that all commissions' final reports must be ready by Monday. The Economic Commission has been entrusted to prepare for Germany's refusal to sign the terms, the intention being to restore a sharp and complete blockade. None e.vpects the renewal of fighting in the west, the Allies being confident that starvation will settle Germany.

The Dominions' delegations are expressing the hope that they will be kept in closer touch with the proceedings, which are becoming more secret daily. Indeed, the Dominions' representatives have lately been finding the time hang heavy on their hands. —United Service.

MOST IMPORTANT POINTS. AN AGREEMENT REACHED. Received April 6, 11.30 p.m. London, April 5. The "big four" have practically agreed on all the most important questions, except the responsibility for breaches of the laws. Preliminaries will be finally settled in a few days. It is expected thn Germans will be invited to attend Versailles within a fortnight. The conference, apparently will settle the question of the occupation of the left bank of the Rhine. Probably 200,000 Franco-Belgians will undertake the occupation, under the control of the League of Nations. It is believed that out of the total German indemnity Prance will receive 55 per cent. Received April fi, 11.5 p.m. T ondon, April 5. The Evening .Standard says that according to a high authority the peace treaty will be completed on Wednesday. Mr. Lloyd George makes a statement in the House of Commons before he signs.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.