PEACE INFORMATION BUREAU.

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 October 1917, Page 5

PEACE INFORMATION BUREAU.

ESTABLISHED IN AMERICA

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29

The State Department has announced thejp-eation of a Peace Information Bureau. Colonel E. M. House, unofficial adviser to President Wilson, heads the bureau, which is not connected with peace negotiations.

It is believed that President Wilson has picked Colonel House to. be the head of the United States representatives in the World Peace Conference. Meanwhile Colonel House will collect essential data and is empowered to go abroad.

AUSTRIA READY FOR PEACE

WILL MAKE HONOURABLE

TERMS

AMSTERDAM, Sept. 29. A wireless message states that the "Tyd's" correspondent at Vienna, who arrived in Amsterdam to-day, declares that before leaving Austria he conversed with 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 she is ready to make sacrifices for the better setlement of European questions. "Germany is absolutely ready to hand over Belgium to the Belgians, if Belgium unties herself from the Entente. Austria and Germany are ready to discass the Tyrol and Alsace question, with a view to finding a solution satisfactory to all concerned."

THE OPTIMISTIC YON TIRPITZ.

SPEAKS AS A YICTOR

BUDAPEST, Sept. 29.

M- Hirlap interviewed Admiral von Tirpitz, who stated that the English and French monopoly in the Mediterranean must cease. The. mere neutralisation of Gib. raltar and the Suez Canal is. not enough, and only the defeat of England can save the Central Powers, who must hold out until the submarines secure the victory. The idea, of America playing an effective part was a phantom-

AUSTRIAN COMMITTEE SET UP.

TO DISCUSS PEACE PROPOSALS-

BERNE, 'Sept. 28

The Liberal Party in the Austrian Reichsrath has introduced a resolution in favour of the formation of a. committee of fiftytwo to discuss how the Austrian Parliament can most ouiekly promote the conclusion of peace.

THE RESTORATION OF BELGIUM.

GERMANY'S REPLY TO,THE POPE.

ROME, Sept. 20

The Vatican also denies that it has received a separate German Note regarding te restoration of Belgium on certain conditions.

According to reliable Vatican information, the Holy See hasasked Berlin to explain why the German reply to the Papal Note contained no reference to Belgium and the occupied French territory. 'Germany replied that her acceptance of the proposals of the Pope concerning the evacuatian of occupied territories was implied in the decision of the Reichstag regarding annexation, to which the German Government still adhered-