THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1919, Page 5

THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

- INDEMNITY AGREEMENTS. . COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS. "" London, April 0. Tlie Paris correspondent of the Daily Mail states that agreements have been readied on the following points: The left bank of the Rhine will be the military frontier; the Saar Valley coalpits and coal seams will become French property in perpetuity; no fixed sum will be mentioned for reparation, but Germany will agree to pay the war damages on land and sea. This does not include war expenditure or pensions, excepting for victims of air raids and submarine outrages. The payment will be a special income-tax on German industry and .trade for 30 years, the amount will be based biennially on the maximum payable without injuring Allied trade or bleeding German industry to death. The Rhenish territory will be occupied for 30 years as a mortgage. A small British and American force will assist the French and Belgian armies. These are mandates of the League of Nations, thus making nonpayment a casus belli with Britain and American equally with France and Belgium.. Undecided points are: The status of the Rhenish provinces, the method of collection of the revenues, the holding of the Saar coalfields Without destroying German independence, and the distribution of the reparation revenues.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Paris, April 6. The Peace Commission on reparation adopted a report 'on the damages claimed and the methods of valuation of the damage. The Chinese Government has again appealed to the Peace Conference to abrogate the 21 demands Japan compelled China to sign in 1915.—Aua.N.Z. Cable Assn. At the internatioi"-' conference of temperance associati Lord Dabernon, representing Britain, requested the Peace Conference to create a permanent bureau for the study of the liquor question and the results obtainable by legislation.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AMERICANS DISSATISFIED. PRESIDENT'S EARLY RETURN. Received April 8, 7.40 p.m. Paris, April 7. It is reported that President Wilson has ordered the warship George Washington to return to Brest forthwith, indicating that the President contemplates returning to America about the lath inst. American newspaper circles hint that the Americans are dissatisfied with the outcome of, the conference. DEFINITE TV-'SSIAN POLICY SOLVED. Received April 8, 5.5 p.m. Paris, April 7. The American delegation has evolved a definite Russian policy to be submitted to the Peace Conference.—Reuter.