READY FOR ADVANCE

Auckland Star, Issue 123, 24 May 1919, Page 7

READY FOR ADVANCE

IF GERMANY REFUSES.

FOCH'S PLANS COMPLETE. VICE-PRESIDENTS STATEMENT DETERMINED NOT TO SIGN. i Received 0.20 a.m.) LONDON, May S.i. The "Daily Express ,1 Cologne correspondent >ay« that everything is ready for the advance if Germany refuses to sign The guns have gone forward, and the infantry routes have bren m;ipped out. while units have received detailed iot-tructions. The "Daily News'" Berlin correspondent interviewed llerr Dernburg, Minister of Finance, who said that Germany could not think of ceding the Saar or Silesia, or of allowing a foreign committee to interfere with Germany's internal affairs. The Government insisted on a peace ba-ed on President Wilson's points, and i ruild not imapne that any Government i-o-.ild be found in Germany which would Mgn such a treaty. Anyhow, no Government could fulfil such obligations. There must be an equitable peace after full and free negotiations, otherwise they would let the Allies run Germany for them, elves and net more out of it. if they could. "We determinedly refuse to sign the Treaty a- submitted," he said. "I say this : ,s Vice-President of the Cabinet, and also that the whole Government is unanimous on this point. " The present Government having a majority in the Assembly, and commanding military authority, was the only possible combination possessing qualification for signature. Any possible successors would offer little security. Other correspondents draw attention to Herr Haase's speech in which he protested apainst a peace of destruction, suppression, injustice, and violation, and added that those who did not protest against the Brest Litovsk and Bucharest treaties had no right to complain. He agreed that Germany must collap.-e under the impossible terms, and hoped the world revolution, which was surely coming would result in revision of the terms.--I A. and N.Z. Cable.) NO PAEALLEL. i Received 9.10 a.m.) PARIS. May 23. The Allied reply to the German Note regarding Herman prisoners, says that complete re-iprocity in the treatment, of prisoners cannot be considered, because, there was no parallel between the GerEan and the Alliod treatment of prisoners. -lA. and N.Z. Cable.) REPARATION FOR BELGIUM. (Received 10.20 a.m.) PARIS. May 23. A German Note agrees to repay all the material damage resulting from the violation of Itt'lgian neutrality, including that done by the Allied armies. Germany's counter-proposals include the su-rcrestion that the surrender of the colonies should constitute part payment for reparation.— (A. and N.Z. Cabie.)