PEACE TREATY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16881, 8 July 1920, Page 7

PEACE TREATY.

SPA CONFERENCE OPENS. (B" Cable—Press Association —Copyright.) (Eeuter's Telegrams.} LONDON*, July 5. An official communique from the Spa Conference spates that the Conference opened under the presidency of SI. Delacroix, Belgian Primo Minister. Sir Lloyd George, Earl Curzon, and Sir L. Worthington Evans represented Great Britain. The heads of the other delegations worn: —SI. Slillerand (France), Sign or Sforza (Italy), and Viscount Cliinda (Japan).

Germany was represented by Herr Sehrenbacli (Prime Minister), Herr von Simons (Foreign Minister), and Herr Wirth (Siinister of Finance). After the arrangement of the agenda, comprising chiefly the execution of military, naval, and aerial clauses of the Treaty, reparations, coal supply, and penalties, Herr Fohrenbach, in tli« name of the German people, expressed determination to participate loyally m flie measures to he taken for the cxecution of the Peace Treaty. _He announced the approaching: arrival of Herr viersler and General von SeecKt. 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 then adjourned till Tuesday afternoon.

STRENGTH OF GERMAN ARMY. (Received July 7th, 9.55 p.m.)_ LONDON, July <• The Spa correspondent of the '""Daily Chronicle" describes the long dramatic sitting of the Conference. After the German Slraister of Defence had explained that an army ot 100,000 soldiers was inadequate, Mr Llovd George asked: "Is tnat a decollation that the German Government does, not intend to fulfil the terms of the Treaty " The Foreign Minister, Herr Simons, intervened, saying the Siinister of Defence had not adequately explained his meaning. The German Government intended to reduce the Army, hut could not do so without risking internal disorder. After an adjournment to consider the situation. Sir Lloyd George said Germany did not seem to understand that, there was a gap between the terms of the Treaty and their execution. Apip'fc from men, Germany had 50,000 machine{iuns, several thousand guns, and millions of rifles. The Allies did not desire to bo harsh, but the risk from Bolsheviks and militarists alike could not be ignored. Unless a definite scheme was produced to-morrow it was useless to continue the conference.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S DECLARATION. LONDON, July 5. Herr Fehrenbach, in the course of a speech to the journalists at Spa, declared that Germanv was ready to "work loyally at tho task of the economic reconstruction of the world, and the carrying out of the Treaty of Versailles within the limits of her possibilities. He emphasised those last words, and said the Treaty contained stipulations incapable of execution. The limits of Germany's capabilities depended on certain factors.

Internal tranquility was essential. Germany still contained a great number of unemployed, which explained the recent disorders. Her chief need was increased production, which, till now, had been insufficient for feeding the people, and the importation of the necessary supplies from abroad. When this was achieved he hoped that, the economic renaissance of Germany would enable her to meet her financial obligations, and enable her to assume some measure of the reparation charges.

He was most satisfied at having an opportunity to discuss, face to face "with the Alliesj the economic capacity of Germany iii connexion with reparation. He addod:—

"we are frankly ready to show our books to the Allies, and submit documents. which have not been specially prepared for the occasion."

BELGIUM AND THE INDEMNITY. BRUSSELS, July 5. The Belgian Minister of the Interior, in an interview, said that there was one point on which his Government would never compromise, namely, their prioritv for the iirst instalment of the Wo and a half milliards of marks in gold from the first payment made by Germany. (Australian, and N.Z. Cabta Association.) SPA, July. 6. Belgium will not consider her signature to the Versailles Treaty binding if M. Millerand and Mr Lloyd George infcist on altering the Treaty. The Belgian delegates stormily protested against other nations receiving priority, declaring that it modified articles of the Treaty which placed the Belgian claims over all others. THE EX-KAISER. (United Service.) LONDON, July o. Replying to questions in the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law stated that a suggestion to establish an Allied Court in Holland to try the ex-Kaiser was impracticable.