PEACE AND THE LEAGUE

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 72, 25 March 1919, Page 5

PEACE AND THE LEAGUE

COVENANT EMBODIED.

THREE SEPARATE TREATIES

PROBLEM OF INDEMNITIES,

(Received 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, March 24. The Exchange Telegraph's Paris correspondent states that tne preliminary peace terms will embody not merely the principle of the League" of Nations, but the actual covenant. Thus the League will be an accomplished fact within the next few weeks, unless the Germans refuse to sign the preliminary terms. It was found impossible to settle certain questions affecting Germany without referring to the principles embodied in the League, therefore it was necessary to include the League in order to obtain Germany's signature.

The Conference, devoted considerable attention to the Kiel Canal and Germany's submarine cables. President Wilson favours internationalising the canal on the lines of the Suez Canal. It is understood that Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Balfour concur. The proposal to distribute Germany's cables among the Allies finds most support. There is a growing chorus of criticism at the so-called dilatoriness of the Peace Conference Many newspapers complain of the. delays of the last week. It is asserted that the revolution in Hungary proves the need of expediting peace.

The question of indemnities will be formally ruised in the House of Commons this week because a section of Unionist members is dissatisfied with the Government's pronouncements.

The ""Manchester (Guardian" says that the consensus of opinion in British official quarters is that there will be three preliminary treaties, the first dealing with naval and military matters, the second with territorial problems, and the third with reparation and indemnities. The first will soon be ready for signature, but the third is proving the most difficult and probably will not be completed before June when the first meeting of delegates to the Plenary Conference will be held, probably in Brussels. It is expected that the blockade of Cfrmanv will be finally lifted in June. The Allied statesmen will depart for Paris after the preliminary treaties are signed, leaving diplomatic officials to work out the details of the final peace, which will be completed toward- the end of the year.— (A. and K.Z. Cable.) TERMS OF THE MANDATE. SWITZERLAND'S NEUTRALITY. PARIS, March "24. Attention has been drawn to the fact that the Council of Ten has suspended action of the committee which is defining the terms of the mandates to the Power* This is stated to be particularly inconvenient to Australia, who is anxious to know where she stands in the Pacific. Lord Robert Cecil, in an address to Press delegates yesterday, said that amendments to the covenant of the League of Nations would be mainly textual, including a clause safeguarding tile Monroe Doctrine. Switzerland aski'd that her neutrality should lie safeguarded regardless of any future war. This, owing to her peographical position, would probably bo conceded. Mr Wilson did not intend to risk a charge of delaying the preliminary peace to ensure the > inclusion of the covenant. Mr Wilson favoured the Kiel Canal being placed on the same footing as the Suez Canal. It was believed Mr Lloyd Georijp and Mr Baltour supported the idea. — 'A. and N.Z. Cable.)