MODIFICATIONS IN TREATY

Taranaki Daily News, 18 June 1919, Page 5

MODIFICATIONS IN TREATY

Received June 17, S p.m.

London, June 14.

'A sufinn&ry of the Allied reply to the German " counter-proposals has been flcued officially. j In a covering letter, the Allies, refining to the German protest against "a peace of violence," emphasise the point that the war was the greatest Crime against humanity ever consciously committed by a nation calling itself idvillted. The Allies also emphasise Germany's responsibility for planning hnd Starting the war, in which seven jniUitin nMn died and over twenty million Jrera Wounded and suffered. The letter also points to the savage had inhuman manner in which the war |raa conducted by the German troops-

v A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.

The Allies express the belief that they would tie falsa to those who had given thalr all to save the freedom of the world if they coiisented to treat the war as anything but a crime against humanity, flight and justice was the only possible Dalit of peace, but it must be justice for Wl—for the dead, wounded, or orphans, Jo? the, bereaved, "for the peoples now Struggling under the war debts exceeding thirty thousand millions sterling, and tor the millions whose property German lavagery had spoliated and destroyed.

GERMANY TO MAKE FULL REPARATION.

fThis is trhy the Allies insisted, as a fcardinal feature of the treaty, that Germany must undertake to make reparation to the very uttermost of her (over, that the individuals responsible (for German aggression and outrages during the war must be handed over to justice, and that Germany must submit v fa* years to certain special disjftititiea vu) arrangements.

CUNY BROUGHT HARDSHIPS . ON HERSELF. these things are hardships for <jt)e*mny; she has brought them on hertoelf- Somebpdy must suffer the conyeqqgmys (4 the war. Ia it to be Ger<m*aj or the peoples she has wronged t /{The Qerntyin revolution represents a great hope for peace and a new European {trder in future, but it cannot affect the &ftlement of the war. The revolution W<£ stayed until the German armies 'Were defeated aad all hope of profiting fry a war of conquest vanished. The people throughout the war Supported the war and shared the responsibility with their Government, and they Cannot now pretend to having changed their rulers after the war was lost, or !that-it ia just that they should escape *£he consequences of their deeds. |T • A PEACE 0? JUSTICE.

' The peace the Allies propose is fundamentally $ peace of justice. The Allies it* satisfied that their territorial profeaals aceord with the agreed basis of bea<je„ and are necessary to the maintenance of the fatipe peace of Europe, Th< Tallies, therefore, an not prepared to them, except in respects hereinafter laid dotfn.

\ ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL t PROPOSALS.

< With regard to the economic and .financial proposals, the Allies have no [injteiitiqn of strangling Germany or (preventing lie? from taking her proper ;placs in intentional trade and com.merce, she abides by the treaty «f peace andabaadon* her aggressive tad. exclusive traditions in business. The Allies intend that Germany shall iave lair treatment in the purchase of »W materials and goods, subject to the temporary provisions mentioned in the interests of nations ravaged by Germany.

MODraC&ftONS MADE. The Allies desire the passions of the war to die aa gpon as possible, and Meat all nations, including Germany, Shall share in tlut prosperity that come from the honest supply of material needs, [n order to make! this intention clear a Dumber of modifications are made in the financial and economic clauses of the treaty, but the principles on which the treaty is drawn up must stand. The Allies are not prepared to modify the reparation proposals, which were designed to make payment of reparation as easy and convenient as possible, and to i|p interpreted in, that sense, but with a ♦iew to arriving as soon as possible at feed, definite sum payable by Gerjmany they are willing to accord aetniany all reasonable facilities to hat tq gagvjjj the devastated

A PEACE OF JUSTICE GERMANY MUST BE PUNISHED KAIBER TO STAND HIS TRIAL

GERMANY'S GUILT.

regions and malts proposals for a settlement of the claims. ALLIES' LAST WORIX The Allies emphasise the point tlia* this covering letter and the attached memorandum constitute their last word. They have examined the German counterproposals earnestly and carefully, and consequently have made important modi* fications in the draft treaty, but in its< fundamental outline they stand by the treaty, which must be accepted or rejected in its present form. Failing a declaration by the German delegation within five days that they are prepared to sign the treaty as amended, the armistice will immediately terminate, and the Allies will take subh steps as they think needful to enforce the tenns.

In the summarised reports of their reply, the Allies, referring to the responsibility for the war, emphasise the fact that their views are not merely based on the events between July, 1914, and the outbreak of war. Autocratic Germany, under her ruler's inspiration, had been long bent on domination, aggression, and war. The essential truth of the Allied charge is admitted by the German revolution. The Allies consider the punishment of those principally responsible for bo much world-wide misery and suffering is essential to justice and to act as a deterrent to other rulers. The Allies cannot agree to the trial of the guilty by their own accomplices. The Kaiser is arraigned as a matter of high international policy- The accused will be ensured full rights 'and liberties regarding his defence in order that the judgment will be of a most solemn and judicial character. The Allies refute the delegation's endeavor to prove that the Peace Treaty constitutes a breach of the basis of peace in accordance with Wilsonian principles. EVIDENCE OF GOOD FAITH REQUIRED. The Allies see no reason why Germany cannot become a member of the League of Nations in the early future, if her acts promise the necessary conditions. They are prepared to accord guarantees of protection to German minorities in the ceded territories. German acceptance of the disarmament terins will hasten a general reduction of armaments. THE SAAR VALLEY. As regards the European political clauses, it is pointed out that the German Note has misconstrued the Saar Basin provisions. The delegation's refusal to carry out reparation, which must have the character of punishment, appears to exclude the conception that justice is essential in any settlementThe Allies will not admit a plebiscite for Alsace and Lorraine.

THE EASTERN FRONTIERS. After defending the cardinal guiding principles regarding the eastern frontiers of Germany, the Allies express readiness, in order to eliminate any possible injustice, to reconsider the question that the historical frontier between Pomer«nia and-West Prussia be respected and no part of Germany outside of the former Kingdom of Poland be included in the restored Poland. The Allies also point out the isolation of East Prussia, which Germany refuses to aqcept, has ejjsted /or centuries. It is not original German 'land, but a colony. Danzig was not included in Poland because it is German. The Allies have decided that Upper Silesia shall not immediately be ceded to Poland. This will not be' done till after a plebiscite has been taken under Allied control. The main point of the Whole settlement is the genuine interest of the inhabitants, not the satisfaction of national pride. Germans transferred to Poland are expressly safeguarded. The Memel district will be transferred to the Allies, as the status of the Lithuanian territories has not yet been established.

HELIGOLAND AND THE COLONIES. The articles regarding Heligoland must be accepted unconditionally, and they will be executed under the supervision oi the Allied commission. Regarding the ex-German colonies, the Allies state that they have placed the native population's interests before every other consideration. Germany's subordination of native interests to her own ambitions has been revealed too completely to admit of the Allies consenting to make a second experiment and risking the fate of thirteen or fourteen millions of natives. Moreover, the Allies wen bound to safeguard their security against the establis'hment of bases from which the world's trade could be threatened. The loss of Germany's colonies need not hinder her development. The trade of the German colonies never represented jnore than a very small fraction of her total trade, being one half per cent, of her imports and exports in 1919. Of the total colonial products imported by Germany only three per cent came from her own colonies, and for natural reasons the German colonies were not capable of accommodating more than a very small proportion of Gennan emigrants. The conditions laid down had been determined upon in accordance with international law, and the natives' interests

The same applies to the regulation of Sennas property in China.

THE MILITARY CONDITIONS. The Allies cannot agree to the alteraition of the mailt military conditions. Nevertheless, they are willing to reduce the German Army more gradually than •at present stipulated, namely, to a maximum of 200,000 within three months, and at the end of three months and every subsequent three months the Allied military experts shall fix the strength of theGerman Army far the ensuing period,, ill order to reduce it to the stipulated hundred thousand at the soonest possible date—anyhow, by March 31, 1920. The reduction of officers and guns shall lie similarly proportioned, ; THE NAVAL CONDITIONS. period for the demolition of fortifications is modified. The German naval proposals cannot be entertained. The naval articles, having been carefully framed, must he accosted unconditionally. No negotiations axe necessary on this point. I

REPARATION PROPOSALS. The* Allies state that the German deleI gates misunderstood or misinterpreted (the reparation proposals. ! The Allies welcome the German proposal to create a commission to co-oper-ate with the Allied commission.

Germany is to be invited to present evidence and submit special reparation proposals within four months from the signature of peace. Proposals particularly acceptable will be those specifiying a German offer of a lump sum in settlement of the whole or part of the liability or offer to repair part or the whole in any damaged district, or the offer of the. use of; labor for that purpose. Therefore- the inspection of facilities will be granted on tliesat The offers must be precise, ana devoid, oi any ambiguity, but the categories and reparation clauses are indisputable. The Alliep, .without in siny "way__.committing tliemseives-Tiorvwiu wit2iiift-.ro moiTs" ' """V

ALLIES' REPLY TO GKSMANY. DELAYS REVISED DRAFT. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received June 17, 5.5 p.m. Paris, June 16. The Allies' reply to Germany's counterproposals is delaying the revised draft of the Peace Treaty, and lias also presented President Wilson replying to the Senate's resolution. President' Wilson refused to forward the text of the treaty on the ground that negotiations are proceeding.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

THE FINAL WORD. Received June 17, 11.30 p a. London, June 17. Mr. Bonar Law says the Allies have carefully and honestly examined the counter-proposals. To-day's reply ia final.

_He earnestly hoped Germany would ?ign, because a signed peace was in the interests of the world. The Germans must sign within five days, otherwise the armistice would end.

President Wilson, replying to the Senate's resolution, refuses to forward the text of the treaty on the ground that negotiations are proceeding.