RAPID DEVELOPMENT

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 62, 13 March 1919, Page 5

RAPID DEVELOPMENT

OF PEACE CONGRESS PROPOSALS READY NEXT 'WEEK. FOOD SUPPLIES FOR GERMANY PLUMER'S STRONG MESSAGE. (Received 11.35 a.m.) LONDON*, March 12. Very important developments are expected before the end of the week. The draft of the peace proposals will be ready to-morrow, and will probably be adopted in their final form a few days after President -Wilson's return on Friday. The proposals cover military and naval aviation, the reparation terms, and some territorial terms, though the Eastern settlement, including the Dardanelles, will be coucluded after the preliminary peace is signed. It is expected that the Germans will be invited to Paris about next Thursday week.

It is understood that the preliminary peace treaty with Germany will probably include provision for the surrender of all German officials responsible lor war crimes against the Allies.

One sign of coining events consists in the release of four hundred Schleswif; prisoners of war, who left England for home yesterday. The Allies have notified Germany that if she surrenders her merchantmen and complies with other conditions she will be fed until August. During the debate dealing with the manner in .which Germany would be compelled to pay for the food supplied

to her, Mr. Lloyd George electrified the delegates by reading a telegram from General Plumcr, saying that the British army of occupation would revolt if compelled to continue to watch women starving and children dying in the streets from lack of food. One correspondent asserts that Germany will be compelled to pay a total of £8,000,000,000 damages to the Allies and the United States. The amount is based on the damage done by Germany, not on the cost of the war to the Allies. (A. and N.Z. Cable.)