PEACE CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 16988, 10 March 1919, Page 2

PEACE CONFERENCE.

DISARMAMENT PROPOSALS.

SKELETON ARMY ONLY.

PARIS, March 7. M. Clemenceau, Mr Lloyd George, and Colonel House conferred, but were unable to agree finally on the naval, military, and economic peace terms. M. Taxcieu, French delegate, on being interviewed, stated that the ‘‘ big five (five Great Powers) had agreed to the naval terms on Germany, but had not yet agreed to the military terms, because it seemed the unanimous desire of his confreres to make these even more stringent than the Supreme War Council proposed. Germany would be asked to sign the treaty of peace first, and then, when admitted. to the membership of the League of Nations, would be asked to sign the covenant. March 8. As a result of Mr Lloyd George’s pressure the Conference will probably decide that' the German army shall be_ of a strength, of only 85,0C0, composed of professional soldiers who have enlisted voluntarily. Mr Lloyd George’s motion to reduce the German army was based on the fact that a yearly recruitment of 200,000 would give the enemy the possibility of calling up 1,000,000 in five years, and therefore a voluntary professional army was essential which would not receive a nigh strategical and tactical training and would not have artillery except machine guns, but be really a police force. The Conference’s decision should have a widespread effect. With the war power of Germany, Austria, Russia, and Turkey destroyed and with Britain and the United State® standing for voluntaryism, the ancient curse of Europe is lifted, and Franc© and Italy will find their terrible economic burdens lightened. The Peace Conference air terms will abolish German military aviation, at any rate until the final peace obligations are carried out, thereafter permitting a strictly limited naval aviation fore© for locating and destroying submarine mines, RECASTING THE MAP. MANDATES FOR CONQUERED LANDS. LONDON, March 7. There are indications that the Peace jonlerence’s final territorial setlement will je as follows :—The United States accepts a mandate for Armenia and Italy, one for the districts between Smyrna and Armenia, Smyrna being reserved to Greece. The French mandate covers Syria, including Alexandrette and Damascus, (Britain receiving a mandate for Mesopotamia, Palestine, and German East Africa, while Franc© overlooks the greater part of tho Cameroons and Togoland. South Africa receives a mandate for South-west Africa. All the Islands in the Pacific north of tho equator go to Japan, and those south of the line to Australia, except Samoa, which goes to New Zealand.

Reuter’s Telegrams,

BERNE, March. 6.

In the Weimar National Assembly the Minister for the Colonies strongly protested against the stipulations in the League of Nations’ covenant respecting the German colonies. He declared that Germany was ready to appear before a tribunal and give an account of her colonial administration, which, he claimed, despite evidence to the. contrary in a British. Blue Book in 1918, was satisfactory, especially as regards the natives. LEAGUE OF NATIONS. NEW YORK. March 5.* 'The ‘New York Evening Peat’s’ Wash ington correspondent states that President Wilson retume. to France strengthened in his position with the Allies, despite senatorial objections to the League bf Nations. Europe’s statesmen must see that there is an influential group of American statesmen who favor the United States resuming ner policy of isolation. Europe will therefore be compelled to assume America’s standards of morality and justice in international relations in order to assure the entrance of the United States into any agreement involving a surrender of her isolation.