WORLD'S AFFAIRS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14039, 23 April 1920, Page 3

WORLD'S AFFAIRS.

[Bv .Electric Tbleo jai'ii—GorviMCHT.] (Per Press Association.) Imperial News Service;) Received April 22, at 11.45 p.m. LONDON,' April 21. In the House of Lords Viscount Mil-' jier, in moving the second reading of the Austrian and Bulgarian Treaties, emphasised: the fact that the boundary •of the Tyrol brought a considerable number or Germans into Italy. This: was .the result of Italy's insistence on a boundary necessary to her strategic safety. The Allies were debarred from resisting this claim owing to the treaty which was concluded, when Italy entered the war. The treaties were not faultless, but they were the best possible, in view of the conflicting interests of the Powers involved.

Received April 23, at 1.30 a.m. SAN REMO, April 22., The result of the latest informal discussion on German obstinacy indicates that Mr Lloyd George and Signor Nitti adhere to their view.- ShouTcT efforts at an agreement fail M. Millerand will not hesitate to carry on the French' policy independently. The language of treaties is proverbially ambiguous, but apparently France was justified in entering the Ruhr district and taking coal if Germany continued to ignore her obligations. (Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received April 23, at 8.50 a.m. LONDON, April 22. Though the supposed differences ber tween England, France, and Italy regarding the necessity of exacting full compliance with the Peace Treaty from Germany, are at present only based on rumors, they are taken with; extreme seriousness in France, where , the newspapers alnwst unanimously fear that Germany will be allowed to escape the fulfilment of tlie treaty obligations. The commonest version is that Signor Nitti desires a revision of the treaty in Germany's favor. M. Millerand demands strict compliance, and Mr Lloyd George occupies a mid position. It is uncertain how far he will incline to one .side or the other. Some of the French newspapers assort that the next few days will decide the continuance or the dissolution of the Entente.

Contemporaneous with Germany's triple Not© is the increasing frankness 'of the German newspaper comment. A portion of the press openly hope to benefit by the Entente disagreement, and are beginning to demand a revision as a. matter of right. Tho impression is current in Germany ,that Mr Lloyd- George agrees with Signor Nitti iii principle, but has not yet agreed on the means. Received April 23. at 9.10 a.ni. LONDON, April 22. Perris, the Daily Chronicle's special San Remo correspondent, summarising the inner historv of the Conference, savs that wlien M. Milerand, Signor Nitti, and Mr Lloyd George met, the latter laughingly, remarked-: "Well, here we are in paradise;'but which is the serpent?" Perris says Mr Lloyd George is by far the strongest man, but is painfully torn between ,a deep conviction for the necessity of a reasonable attitude towards Germany and a deep sense of France's wounds. The difficulties of. Signor Nitti have some resemblance to those of. Mr Lloyd George, which ; makes malignant the charge that Signor Nitti has j"ui inclination towards the restoration of the old understanding between Italy and Germany. Signor Nitti has the wisdom to recognise the peril of any policy of adventure at the present time. It is unfair to say that M. Millerand is the serpent, but he has inherited a role of immense difficulty from Clemenceau. The French Conservatives and the Militaristic Right are now trying to drive M. Millerand to extrefnes, while other leading Frenchmen profess that they are utterly without hope of France getting reparation on the security promised by the Versailles Treaty. They regard the Berlin Government as a feeble effigy, and a junker Government as possible at any moment. The' 1 - Anglo-American Convention, on which France relied, has become valueless, owing to America's attitude. The French point out tijat England cannot be relied upon for ini- , mediate substantial aid, and Italy is even less reliable; there is no Russia to aid France, and consequently Franco stand* alone to face the future peril. These critics urge that the sooner Germany's infractions of the Treaty arb tiunished the better. SAN REMO, April 21.

A special Allied Commission is going to Kurdistan to inquire into the conditions and report to the Supremo Council at Paris, A German delegation presented three Notes,, with a request that they be sent to San Remo. The first asks for. a decision regarding the number of German troops permitted in the neutral zone, and also asks permission lo increase the number of artillerymen; the second asks permission to double tile strength of the Reichswehr. and the third asks for permission to maintain general staffs, to create railway companies and aviation groups, and also for permission to re-establish heavy artillery. Received April 23, at 9.25 a.m. LONDON, April 21. Perris adds that if Germany's disarmament, is not completed, the s coal deliveries on the Rhine frontier should be made definitive, or the Ruhr Valley should .be occupied., A struggle is going on behind the scenes to impose these views upon the three Premiers. This is a grievous spectacle and illustrates the ineffectuality of Democratic parties to deal with international mutters. There is the danger of the Civil Government of France being pushed into further separate afction, and the morale of the Entente being thus broken, which would 'be a, calamity. Mr Balfour has been summoned to San Remo.' An unfavorabje symptom is that M. Millerand and Signor Nitti are desirous of returning to their own countries on Sunday, giving no time to sift the situation. . ■