TRIALS OF PEACE CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 47, 25 August 1919, Page 7

TRIALS OF PEACE CONFERENCE

DIFFICULT CORNERS TO TURN

BULGARIAN AND TURKISH

. TREATIES.

FRICTION OVER NEAR EASTERN

QUESTION.

(tmiTBD PBESS ASSOCIATION. —COPIEIOHI.)

(ADSIRAUAN-NBW ZEALAND CABLE ABSOCIATIOS.)

(Received August 25, 9 a.m.)

PARIS, 22nd August.

Mr. Keith Murdoch writes : "The slow and halting footsteps of peace are due to the bewilderment of even the greatest diplomats in Europe, in the maze of difficulties. Foreign Ministers, attended by Ambassadors, expert soldiers, and the principal bureaucrats of the chancelleries still meet. daily:' M. Olemenceau presides when he is able to spare time from the difficult domestic problems of France. M. Stephen Pichon, Mr. A. J Balfour, Signor Tittoni, and Mr. F• L. Polk (United States) are regular attendants. Mr. Polk has proved an able and resourceful diplomat; but President Wilson insists that every important question shall be referred to Washington. The delegates expect that another four months will be required to bring finality to the negotiations. The signature of the Austrian, peace is expected about lObh September. The Allies' final reply has been drafted, and contains substantial modifications of the original terms, including much easier economic terms. PIEBALD MAP OF THE BALKANS.

The Bulgarian delegates, who are living sumptuously in the Bois de Boulogne, have proved clever and artful. diplomatists. . They gained the strongest American sympathy, partly as the effect of the American colleges and the large tobacco trade in Bulgaria. The American delegation has urged the easy treatment of Bulgaria. Under the arrangements of the Council regarding the Greek and Bulgarian claimsj the southern part of the Balkans will become piebald and disrupted. The proposals are ethnographically correct, but they unquestionably contain the seeds of future war. The excuse of the Council is^that the Allied publics would not send a single division to enforce any other peace against the militant and aggressive Bulgars. Even this peace ■is eminently favourable to Greece, which will get Smyrna, and the islands in Asiatic territory. BRITAIN AND PRANCE AND SYRIA. The Turkish peace will not be tackled till October, owing to most* serious difficulties between Britain and France' respecting Syria. These difficulties are acute; and French feeling is bitter, and the newspapers are daily attacking the British Government. The real cause of the trouble is the' Arabian dislike' of thra French; but nothing will convince the French that this dislike is not due to British agents. There is a most serious clash of British and French interests through Asia Minor, and lengthy and detailed negotiations seem to be the only way to a a settlement. ' j THE'DOOR TO INDIA AGAIN. Another outstanding ' question is whether President Wilson will be able to persuade the United States, against popular opinion, to accept the mandate over Armenia. Refusal would leave the Council at its wits' ends. Britain feels that her hands are full, yet does pot desire to have another European Power so close to India, The Conference takes the most serious view of the Shantung agitation, and regards the feeling between Japan and America as the darkest cloud on the international horizon. Reports to the Conference show that Germany is industrious and calm, and is far ahead with tho work of reconstruction.