ESSENTIALS OF PEACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17140, 21 April 1919, Page 5

ESSENTIALS OF PEACE.

COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING

JUSTICE NOT VENGEANCE.

DANGER OF THE FUTURE.

(Received 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Reutcr. LONDON. April 19.

Referring to general peace terms in his speech in the House of Commons, Mr. Lloyd George said the: representatives of the Great Powers had reached a complete understanding on the great fundamental questions affecting peace with Germany. They had formulated their demands, and he hoped that by the end of next week they would be presented. He strongly denounced the attempts tp sow dissension and distrust between the Allies, and said none could have treated more sympathetically the peculiar problems and susceptibilities of Europe, with their long and bitter memories of national conflict, than had Mr. Wilson. They had never forgotten the poignant fact that most of the war sufferings and sacrifices had been borne by heroic France. They had not forgotten that she was entitled to feel a sense of security against a repetition of attack. Upon all questions that came before us," said the Prime Minister, "we came to unanimous conclusions." What happened at the Vienna Congress showed the importance of unanimity. The Peace Conference unanimously and unhesitatingly concluded that it would be a first-class blunder to publish the peace terms before they had been discussed with the enemy. No peace conference had ever given its proceedings so much publicity, but he would rather have a good peace than a.good press. The conference would take every action necessary to prevent premature publication, which might only encourage the enemy to resist. Mr. Lloyd George declared that every pledge the Government had given had been incorporated in the Allies' demands. The Government had never swerved one iota from these demands. It stood by them because it thought them just. What we wanted was stern peace, because the occasion demanded it. It was not to gratify vengeance, but to vindicate justice. Every clause in the terms must bo justified on that ground. Above all, we wanted to protect the against a repetition of the horrors of this war. After denouncing the newspaper attempts to sow dissension between the Allies, and emphasising the necessity of freeing commerce and industry as soon as possible, and reducing the enormous war expenditure, Mr. Lloyd George said one of the results of peace would be the abolition of the great continent's menace of armaments. The forces of Germany would be reduced to an army only just adequate to police her cities and protect her commerce. Wc and Europe must profit by this. The danger was not that there might be a recrudescence in Germany because Germany would only with difficulty raise 80,000 armed men to preserve order. The danger was that the world was going to pieces and the gaunt spectre of hunger was stalking through the land. CONTROL OF ADRIATIC. ITALY'S CLAIMS PRESENTED. NO DECISION REACHED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. ©ocd. 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, April 19. Bardn Sonnino presented Italy's case regarding the Adriatic before the Council of Four. The council : failed to agree regarding the control | of the Adriatic and adjourned.