THE PEACE ISSUES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 5, 1 October 1917, Page 5

THE PEACE ISSUES

SPEECH BY GERMAN CHANCELLOR DECLINES TO DISCLOSE THE WAR AIMS ANNEXATION ISSUES EVADED (Rec. September 30, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, September 29.: : Dr. Michaelis German f 'hancellor), in his speech to the .Reichstag, declared ' that Germany's relations witn tho-neu-trals continue to be satisfactory. Germany would continue, to participate in the provisioning of neutrals. He claimed that it was only the hope of oisseneion • in Germany that caused British statement to adhere to their impassible war aims. Germany awaited with, confidence and calm the military exertions of the United Stales. Germany's -reply to tho Papal Note had obviously embarrassed the majority of her enemies. He must at present ■ decline to specify Germany'! war aims. ' He declared that President Wilson's Note to the Pope was an attempt to sow dissen- .< tion between the German people and their Government. It had had the opposite effect; it had bound all the Germans more firmly in their resolve io oy- , pose foreign inteiference. Tho attitaue . of the German Government regarding its war aims was claarly expressed in his reply to the Papal -Note.. He declared that the statement that Germany had already communicated with the enemy Governments, and in ad v anco had renounced occupied territory was ujitrue. Germany had free hands for eventual peace negotiations.. This also referred to Belgium.—Beuter. GERMANY EVADES ANNEXATION ISSUES VATICAN ASKS FOR INFORMATION, (Eec. September 30, 5.5 p.m.) Rome, September 29. The Vatican denies having received a separate German Note regarding'the restoration of Belgium on certain condi- . tions. to reliable Vaticim information, the Holy See asked . "Srliii to explain why the German Papal JNota - contained no allusion to Belgiuni and the occupied French territory. Germany replied that the acceptance of the pro- . posals of the Pope concerning the evacuation of the occupied territories was im- -. plied in the decision of the Reichstag regarding annexations, and to tins the German Government still adhered—lieu- , ter. ' AUSTRIA READY FOR PEACE AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT , (Eec. September 30, 5.5 p.m.) 1 Amsterdam, September 29. -j A wireless report states:—The '"Kid's correspondent at Vienna arrived at Amsterdam to-daj. Ho declares that before leaving Austria ho conversed yuth important -politicians, who authorised him to make the following statement:"Austria is ready for an . honourable peace. She recognises the favourable character of the enemies she is fighting, and if they desire it, is ready to icafco , sacrifices for the better settlement of European questions. Germany is absolutely ready to hand over Belgium and the Belgians, if Belgium unties herself from the Entente Powers. AMtnaanu Germany are ready to disouss the xyToi and Alsace questions, with a view to finding a solution satisfactory to all concerned." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MOVE BY AUSTRIAN LIBERAL PARTY Berne, September 23. The Liberal Party in the Austrian tteichsrath has introduced a resolution .in favour of the formation of a committee of fifty-two to discuss how.™ 6 Austrian Parliament can most quietly promote the conclusion of peace—Keuter. AMERICA ESTABLISHING AN INFORMATION BUREAU ' 1 UNDER COLONEL HOUSE Washington, September 28. The State Department has announced the creation of a Peace Information Bureau. Colonel House, unofficial ad-•. viser to President Wilson, is nead of the' Bureau, which is not connected , with, any peace negotiations at present. A is believed that President Wilsin has . picked Cokinel House to he head of The United States ,repr®entatives in the , World Peace Conference. Meanwhile he ; will collect essential data, und is empowered to go abroad for the purpose.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FACING UNIVERSAL OSTRACISM ■ - VISCOUNT MILNER, ON THE NEW, PAN-GERMAN EFFORT. (Eec. September 30, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 29. Viscount Milner, speaking, at an American luncheon in his honour, • declared that the prospect of almost nmvarsal ostracism was beginning to on tha minds of the Germans, as certainly as it was beginning to depress the spirits of their confederates. That was. the rear son why the new pan-German party hnd arisen to strengthen the of the Junkers and preach the doctn,,a that might is right, in its mist aggressive and repulsive form.—Keuter.