PEACE TERMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 19

PEACE TERMS.

IMPOSED UPOfM AUSTRIA

The conditions of peace of the Allied *nd Associated Powers, with the exception of the military, reparations, financial, and certain boundary clauses were handed to the Austrian plenipotentiaries at St. Germain on the 16th May. Those clauses which are not yet ready for presentation will be delivered as soon as possible, the Austrians in the meantime having an opportunity to begin work on the greater part of the treaty in an effort to facilitate the final decision. The Austrian treaty follows exactly the same as the German, and in many places is identical with it, except for tha change in name. Certain specific clauses which applied only to Germany are, of course, omitted, and certain new clauses- of particular applicability to Austria are included, especially as regards the new States created _ out of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austria is left by the treaty a of about 6,000,000 people, inhabiting a territory of between 50,000 and 60,000 square miles. Austria recognises the complete independence of Hungary, Czecho-Slovakia, and the Serbo-Croat-Slovene State, and cedes other territories which, previously in union with her, composed the Empire of Austria-Hungary. Austria agrees to accept the League of Nations covenant and the Labour charter; to renounce all her extra-European rights; to demobilise her whole naval and aerial forces; to admit the right of trial by the Allied and Associated Powers of her Nationals guilty of violation of the laws and customs of wars, and to accept detailed provisions similar to those in the Gorman treaty as to economic relations and fredom of transit. In the following summary, part I, containing the covenant of the League of Nations, and part 12, containing the Labour convention, are identical with those in the German Treaty, and are therefore omitted. Part 6, dealing with prisoners of war, and part 10, dealing with • aerial navigation, are identical with the substitution of “Austria” and “Austrian” for “Germany ” and “ German,” and are also omitted. Similarly, part 13 of the German Treaty, containing' guarantees for execution of the treaty, is not included in the Austrian Treaty.

PART TWO.

FRONTIERS OF AUSTRIA.

The northern frontier facing Czechoslovakia follows the existing administrative boundaries formerly separating the provinces of Bohemia and Moravia from those of Upper and Lower Austria subject to certain minor rectifications, notably in the region of Gound and Feldsberg and along the River Morava. The southern frontier, facing Italy and the Serbo-Croat-Slovene State, is to be fixed by the principal Allied and Associated Powers at a later date. In the eastern part the line, passing just east of Blieburg, crosses the Brave just about its confluence with the Lavani, and thence will pass north of the Brave so as to leave to the Serbo-Croat-Slovene State at Marburg and Radkersburg, just to the north of which latter place it will join the Hungarian frontier. The western and north-western frontiers facing Bavaria, the western frontier facing Switzerland, and the eastern frontier facing Hungary-, remain unchanged.

PART THREE.

POLITICAL CLAUSES.

EUROPE. The high contracting parties recognise and accept the frontiers of Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Rumania, the' Serbo-Croat-Slovene State, and the Czechoslovak State as at present, or as ultimately determined. Austria renounces in favour of the principal Allied and Associated Powers all her rights and titles over territories formerly belonging to her which, though outside the new frontiers of Austria, have not at present been assigned to any State undertaking to accept the settlement to be made in regard to these territories. THE CZECHOSLOVAK STATE. Austria recognises the complete independence of the Czecho-Slovak State, including the autonomous territory south of the Carpathians, in conformity with the action already taken by the Allied and Associated Powers. The exact boundary between Austria and the new State is to bo fixed by a Field Commission of seven members, five nominated by the principal Allied and Associated Powers and one each by Austria and Czechoslovakia; agrees to embody in a treaty -with the principal Allied and Associated Powers such provisions as may _be made necessary to protect racial., religious, or linguistic minorities, and to assure freedom of transit and equitable treatment for the commerce of other nations. £HE SERBO-CROAT-SLOVENE STATE. Austria similarly recognises the complete independence of the Serbo Croat-Slovene State, and renounces her right and titles. A similarly appointed field commission, including a member nominated by the

FREEDOM FOR ALL RACES AND CREEDS

Serbo-Croat-Slovene State, is to fix the exact boundary. -The position of the basis of Klagenfurfc is reserved. The Serbo-Croat-Slovene State agrees to a similar treaty for the protection of minorities and freedom of transit. RUMANIA. Rumania agrees to a similar treaty for protection of minorities and freedom of transit. RUSSIA. Austria is to recognise and respect the full independence of all the territories which formed part of the former Russian Empire. - She is to accept definitely the annulment of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty and of all treaties or agreements, of all kinds concluded since the revolution of November, 1917, with all Governments or political groups on territory of the former Russian Empire. The Allies reserve all rights on the part of Russia for restitution and satisfaction to be obtained from Austria on the principles of the present treaty. GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS. Austria is to consent to the abrogation of the Treaties of 1839, by which Belgium was established as a and her frontiers fixed, and to accept in advance any convention with which the Allies may determine to replace them. Austria adheres to the abrogation of the neutrality of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, and accepts in advance all international agreements as to it reached by the Allied and Associated Powers. Austrian nationals belonging to racial, religious, or linguistic minorities are to enjoy the same protection as other establishments, and in districts where a considerable proportion of Austrian nationals of other than German speech are resident facilities are to be given in schools for the instruction of children in their own language, and an equitable share of public funds is to be provided for that purpose. These provisions do not preclude the Austrian Government from making the teaching of German obligatory 5 they are to be embodied by Austria in her fundamental law as a bill of rights and provisions regarding them, all to be under the protection of the League of Nations.

PART FOUR.

AUSTRIAN'eiOHTS OUTSIDE EUROPE.

Outside Europe Austria renounces all rights, titles, and privileges as to her own and her allies' territories to all the Allied and Associated Powers, and undertakes to accept whatever measures are taken by the principal Allied Powers in relation thereto. Austria accepts all arrangements which the Allied and Associated Powers make with Turkey and Bulgaria with reference to any rights, privileges, or interests claimed in those countries by Austria or her nationals and not dealt with elsewhere. Austria accepts all arrangements which the Allied and Associated Powers make with Germany concerning the territories whose abandonment was imposed upon Denmark by the Treaty of 1864. PROTECTION OF MINORITIES. In a series of special clauses Austria undertakes to bring her institutions into conformity with the principles of Liberty and Justice, and acknowledges that the obligations for the protection of territories are matters of international concern over which the League of Nations has jurisdiction. She assures complete protection of life and liberty to all inhabitants of Austria, without distinction of birth, nationality, language, race, or religion, together with tho right to free exercise of any creed. All Austrian nationals without distinction of race, language, or religion, are to be equal before the law. No restrictions are imposed on the free use of any language in private or public, and reasonable facilities are to be given to Austrian nationals of non-German speech for the use of their language before the courts. The clauses as to Egypt, Morocco, China, and Siam are identical, after the necessary modifications with them in the German Treaty, except that, especially in the case of China, there is not need for such great detail. PART FIVE, MILITARY, frSAVAL, AMD AIR GLAUSES. MILITARY CLAUSES RESERVED. NAVAL. All Austro-Hungarian warships, submarines, and vessels of the Danube flotilla are declared to be finally surrendered to the principal Allies and Associated Powers. Twenty-one specified auxiliary cruisers aro to be disarmed and treated as merchant ships. All warships and submarines under construction in ports which belong or have belonged to Austria-Hungaria shall be broken up, the salvage not to be used except for industrial purposes and not to be sold to foreign countries. The con-

struction or acquisition of any submarines, even for commercial purposes, is forbidden. All naval arms, ammunition, and other war material belonging to Austria-Hun-gary at the date of the armistice shall be surrendered to the Allies. The Austrian wireless station at Vienna is not to be used for naval, military, or political messages relating to Austria or her late allies without the assent of the Allied and Associated Governments during three months, hut only for commercial purposes under supervision. During the same period Austria is not to build any more high-power wireless stations. AIR CLAUSES. The air clauses are practically the same as in the German Treaty, except for the 100 seaplanes and their personnel which Germany is allowed to retain till October to search for mines. GENERAL. Austria agrees not to accredit or send any military, naval, or air mission to any portion of a country nor to allow Austrian nationals to enlist in the army, navy, or air service of any other Power.

PART SEVEM.

PENALTIES. This portion is identical with the German Treaty, except the omission of any provision similar to that calling for the trial of the ex-Kaiser of Germany. Part Eight (on reparations) and Part Nine (the financial clauses) are reserved.

ECONOMIC GLAUSES.

The last 10 clauses Are, except in certain details, such as shipping, similar to those of the German Treaty. Special provisions are added, however, for former AustroHungarian nationals acquiring an Allied nationality similar to those in the German Treaty relating to the inhabitants of Alsace-Lorraine. The contracts of each are maintained subject to cancellation by the Governments. Austria undertakes to recognise any agreement or covenant made by the Allies to safeguard the interests of their nationals in any undertakings constituted under the Austro-Hungarian law which operate in territories detached from the former Austrian Empire, and to transfer any necessary documents and information in regard to them.

PART TEN.

FREEDOM OF TRANSIT. The clauses as to freedom of transit are the same in the Austrian as in the German Treaty, except for the omission of the comparison affecting German Alsace and the insertion of specific clauses granting Austria transit privileges through former Austro-Hungarian territory, in order to assure her access to the Adriatic. • MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. These are, after necessary substitutions, virtually identical with those of the German Treaty. The treaty is to come into force when signed by Austria and three principal Powers, and to be effective for the individual States on the deposit of , their specific ratifications.