THE RUSSO-GERMAN PEACE CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 81, 29 December 1917, Page 7

THE RUSSO-GERMAN PEACE CONFERENCE

DECLARATION OF CENTRAL POWERS' INTENTIONS OCCUPIED REGIONS NOT TO BE VIOLENTLY ANNEXED By Teleuranli-Presß Aseooiation-Oopyrisht ' Amsterdam, December 27. Count Czernin, Austrian Foreign Minister, presiding at a full meeting of the Russo-German pence delegates, declared:— 1. That the Central Powers did not intend violently to annex the region occupied by them during the war. The withdrawal of troorafrom those regions could be arranged for in a peace treaty in the event of failure to agree on certain points before the treaty was signed. 2. The Central Powers had no intention of depriving of its political independence any nation which had such independence. 3. The problem of deciding to which Power any State sliould belong which did not possess political independence would not be solved internationally, but must in some cases bo decided by the individual State. . ' ,• ■ ■ . 4. The safeguarding of minorities must bo the right of every nation to decide on its own destiny. 5. The Central Powers had repeatedly declared- that no indemnities should be paid by either side. Each belligerent should pay only ■■ the expenses of its respective war prisoners and compensation to civilian prisoners. A special fund for this purpose, as suggested by Russia, should only be considered_ if others than the belligerents participated iff the peace negotiations within a reasonable period. —Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn.

CENTRAL POWERS WILLING TO SIGN PEACE WITH ALL BELLIGERENTS BIGHT OF PEOPLES TO DECIDE NATIONAL GKOUPINGS REJECTED. . ' Copenhagen, December 27. Official news from Vienna states that tho Central Powers join Russia in condemning the continuation of the war for the sole object of conquest, and solemnly declare that they are willing, to sign peace with all the belligerents, but demand that all shall accept the principles of no annexations and no indemnities. They require a Russian guarantee that all Russia's Allies shall adopt these principles. Russia's own proposal concerning the right of peoples to decide their national groupings is rejected as far as the peoples of the Central Powers are concerned. The matter cannot be settled internationally, but only independently by .each State and people.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. r' . GERMANY'S OBJECT TO OPEN INTERCOURSE WITH ALLIES "RUSSIANS MUST ACT AS INTERMEDIARIES." / (Rec. December 29, 1.45 a.m.) London, Deqeniber 28. The "Daily Chronicle's" Petrograd correspondent says that Count Czernin at the Peace Conference professed no great anxiety For a separate peace with Russia. The trend of the conversations shows jthat Germany only looks at the negotiations as a means of opening intercourse with the Allies, with the object of securing a general peace, hence the Gorman delegates insist that Germany, must have her'colonies back, and do not admit the idea of a referendum among the natives. The Germans now insist that the Russians must act as intermediaries with the object of compelling the' Allies to join in tho negotiations. If the Allies refuse they will occupy strategic points in the Russian theatre as a guarantee.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. DEMAND OP WAR PRISONERS IN PETROGRAD THAT GERMANY ACCEPT RUS SIA'S PEACE TERMS. - New York, December^. The "New York World's" Petrograd correspondent states that a committee representing several hundred thousand Austrian and German prisoners passed a resolution in Petrograd demanding that Germany should accept Russia's "democratic peace terms," otherwise they will declare war on.the Austro-Gcrraan Imperialists, and join tlie Russians in order to enforce democratic terms.' The resolution urges tho Austrian and German soldiers in the trenches to surrender.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SUM FOR REVOLUTfONARY PROPAGANDA. • Petrograd, December 27. ■ . Tho Council of Commissaries has assigned two million roubles (about £500,000) for revolutionary propaganda in foreign countries. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . THREATENED FAMINE IN PETROGRAD. ' Petrograd, December 27. Tho municipal employees in Petroarad are calling a strike, to embrace tho hospitals and the water supply. Tlie food situation in PctrograiLis worse, and threatens to result in famine in a week's tjme.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PERFECTED GUILLOTINE SUBMITTED TO PEOPLE'S. COMMISSARIES! V t Petrograd, December 27. An engineer has submitted to the People's Commissaries a perfected guillotine dectricaTlv worked, and capaßlo of decapitating 500 victims simul-taneously.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. • .■''... GERMANS' DIFFICULTIES IN RUSSIA ONLY BEGINNING IMPOSSIBLE TO LARGELY REPLENISH FOODSTUFFS. ■ . i (Rec. Decembor 28, 7 p.m.) London, December 27. .M. Pichon, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, says it is needkss to fear Germany's emergence into tho Pacific overland, as Japan bars the.way. The Germans will Hover regain an entry into China. Their difficulties, in Russia are only beginning'. It will be impossible for them to largely replenish their foodstuffs, and the reorganisation of tho Russian transport will take years.—United Service. ' ' ■ ■ : ■ - •