ECHO OF THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 145, 16 December 1926, Page 9

ECHO OF THE WAR

POPE'S PEACE H^jßlli

IN 1917

BELGIUM THE STUMBLING

BLOCK

KAISER WANTED A QUID PRO ', quo ; " •■;■'•.. r; {-':

(United Press Association.—C^jyrijai)' (Published in Th« Tip*!" V.i/.'Ji (Beceived 16th DeeembCTy 10 «.«;)];' LONDON, 15th X>eeemb>£; ; ; The Berlin correspondent.of ih« f'ThiS Times" states that an echo, of..thei , Pope's unguceeggful peace negotiations , in 1917 occupied the attention pf''tiluj] ' Reichstag Committee which it'" inqSriri'' ing into the origin.;and conduct of the;', war. The committee cross-examined* Dri-'' Michaelis,.who, ar ChanceUori.4«f ; «*te£.,: the Beiohstag's peace MBol>jtipnj r«g»rf-' ing' the suppression of. iivlijtteir, -from] the Curia stating that thoßritiih representative at Borne tad informed the Curia that Britain and; 'Fiance were ready for peace negotiations iii: Iflie event of a satisfactory declaration regarding Belgium; and also as to the suppression of the German reply *e« fusing to evacuate Belgium, thereby ■p,<-: holding -the;; nuHtarists' ■ -»nn«atk>»'^ views and wrecking" tl&'pro^sfll;-"'? " 7- J The': [Belchstag, vfeiwM1 W-W»$:l letters, approved a" viigua ireply." """-'■';;■ Michaelis ,to-day . declarsd;, that, the.'. reply was, tantamount,tp cbnditi<ra»I f "'j assent. He addfed thatinqijiriei ihowatl^ that the British offer was not seribuiJy,-,-meant, . '. ■.■.■..•.•..-.;.• „: : ; > ..!. Michaelis produced a letter from the' ex-Kaiser, dated November lart.i*yini{: j "My -view-. _i«; 1917 'Wfts 'tlmt /th^OiTr.-^ I .man!, army, and'na'vy werflhoiquriiblj;^, in' possession of Belgium,' •wiit^v.th^y. could not be asked:.'to .surrender,u^?(>n-'■ ditionally*' ;I s till >th «iis- it; woJiWLsi*Mi-> been an itregponsiblsc ■'< -*ct: nn»duiv6e» i ally to renounce Belf;iura befort riceiv^' Ing guarantees essential; W-t&it- wejfcrti:ll of mypeople." . ■:■■ '■■y- •-■■■■ J -:.js.:-:;•*& Michaelis said that in exchange iaf! the evacuation of Belgium Germany wanted Britain to agree i.o the ,poi«i"gion of Mediterranean'/feaes si Corfu; or Valona. '■■-■.•..•■.• •■<".?. .. ''"y-lu:<2?!:--ii.