PEACE TASKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1920, Page 5

PEACE TASKS.

CONFERENCE AT SPA. GERMANY DECLARES HER POLICY. By Telejrapa.-Preas Aun -Copyright: . _. , London, July 5. . An official communique from the Spa , Conference states that the conference ; opened under the presidency of M. de •ri j** the Bel K ian Premier. Mr . Uoyd George, Lord Curzon (Secretary . for Foreign Affairs), and Sir L. Worth- , mgton Evans (Pensions Minister) rep- ; resented Britain. The heads of the other delegations were: M. Milleraiid (trance) and Signor Sforza (Italy), . Viscount Chinda representing Japan. Geri many is represented by Herr Fehrenbach (Chancellor), Herr von Simons (Foreign Minister), and Herr Wirtli (Minister of > Finance). » After arrangement of the agenda, ■ comprising chiefly the execution of the military, naval and aerial clauses of the ,i Treaty, and the reparations and coal ) supply penalties. Herr Mshrenbach, in the name of the German people, ex- , pressed determination to participate loyally in the measures to be taken for the execution of the Peace Treaty. He announced the approaching arrival of Herr Gersler and General von Secht, who had been urgently summoned and whose arrival the conference decided to await. It was also decided to summon a Minister from Berlin to participate in a special meeting to discuss penalties. The conference adjourned till Tuesday afternoon. Herr Fehrenbach, in the course of a statement to jounalists, declared tl.at Germany was ready to loyally work at the task of economic reconstruction of the world, and the carrying out of the Treaty of Versailles within the limits of their possibilities. ife emphasised those last words and said that the Treaty contained stipulations incapable of execution. The limits of Germany's capabilities depended on the following factors: Firefly, internal tranquility was essential; Germany still contained a great number of men unemployed, which exI plained the recent disorders. The chief need was increased production, which hitherto had been insufficient for feeding the people, and the importation of necessary supnlies from abroad. When this was. achieved, he noped that the economic renaissance of Germany would enable them to meet their financial obligations arising from the taxes' which had been created and enable them to assume some measure of the reparation charges. He was most satisfied at having an opportunity to discuss face to face with the Allies the economic capacity of Germany in connection with reparation. "We are ready frankly to show our books to the Allies and submit documents, which have not been specially prepared for the occasion." BELGIUM'S PRIOR CLAIMS. ' CHANGE IN TREATY RESENTED. Brussels, July 5. The Belgian Minister of the Interior, fnteirlewed> -said that there .was one point upon Which the Government Would j never compromise, namely their priority for the first instalment of two milliard marks in gold from the first payment made by Germany.—Reuter Service. Spa, July 6. Belgium Will not consider the signature to the Versailles Treaty binding if M. Millerand and Mr. LK>yd George insist on altering it. • The Belgian delegates stormily protested against other nations receiving priority, declaring it modifies the articles of the Treaty which placed Belgian claims over all others.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. « ~, „,„, GERMANY MOST DISARM. FISM STAND BY LLOYD GEORGE. . DEFINITE SCHEME DEMANDED. Received July 7, 9.65 p.m. London, July 7. The SaDy Chronicle correspondent at Spa records a long dramatic sitting after Heir Gesslef, uerman Minister of Defence, had explained that 100,000 soldiers were inadequate. . Jfo Lloyd George asked: "la that a declaration that the German Governtam/b does, not intend to fulfil the Treaty!" The German Foreign Minister, Herr Simons, intervened, saving the War Minister had not adequately explained his meaning. The German Government intended to reduce the mmy, but could ! not do so without risking Internal disI order. , After an adjournment to consider the situation, Mr. Lloyd George said Germany did not seem to understand the gap between the terms and the execution of the Treaty. Apart from men she had 50,000 machine-guns, several thousand guns, and millions of rifles. The Allies did not desire- ito be harsh, i but the risk from mili* . tarists alike coiild not bejgn£r«d. Unless a definite scheme to- ' morrow it was ureless the conference.—Aus.-N.Z. Cawp^jissn.