THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1919, Page 5

THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

THE ISSUES DISCUSSED. MANDATORY PRINCIPLE PROBABLE Received Feb. 2, 5.5 p.m.

London, Jan. 31. Official: The disposal of the German colonies has been the principal subject at several meetings of the council of the great Powers and also at daily sessions of the British delegation, Mr Mcssey appearing before the council and both Ministers are attending delegation conferences.

The contentious issue turns upon the system of control, whether it should be British respecting the African colonies, New Guinea, and Samoa, or by a mandatory as trustee for the league oi nations Briefly stated the conflict of interested opinion was between proved methods and concrete proposals on one hand and precious ideals on the other. There is a powerful influence in favor of adopting the mandator]' system, owing to the strong feeling against further aggrandisement.

There are, obviously, many valid objections to control by trustee on behalf of an undeveloped and frankly experimental league of nations, whose machinery is still undevised. The mandatory system means, in plain terms, that the former German colonics should be attached to the nearest neighbor, representing the Power now in military occupation of the territory concerned. Then the league would appoint a mandatory or trustee and lay down the general principles aimed at The establishment of an administration is primarily for the betterment of the backward inhabitants, but definite conditions would be imposed. These expenses will be mot fiscall}- with equal customs charges for all nations Then, if the cost becomes a burden to the mandatory country, the league is to bear a proportion of the deficit

The overseas delegates opposed the system on the grounds of vagueness and insecurity of tenure, and unknown machinery which will possibly create an unworkable fiscal system and open the door to enemy propaganda among the native races.

Consideration was further given todat, and a provisional arrangement will probably be agreed to on the principles of the mandatory system, but it is hoped that a special arrangement will be made for the African and Pacific colonies in order that the laws of mandatories will be applicable to such territories. —Alls. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Received Feb. 1, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 31. The Daily Mail states that Japan has agreed to the interuationalisation of the cplonies, and that South Africa withdrew its opposition. The Wilsonian proposal has, however, been deeply modified. New York, Jan. 31.

Mr. Ryan, Premier of Queensland, states that rath°r than Japan should dominute the Mar 'halls and Carolines, Australians would prefer them internationalised. Th» Anglo-Japanese secret treaty created a great surprise in Australia and an unpleasant effect, Paris, Jan 31.

Mr. Hughes only accepted tlin final arrangement after Japan's acquiescence rendered further resistance useiless. — Aus, N.Z. Cable Assoc.

BRITISH ATTITUDE CRITICISED.

MAY DISRUPT THE EMPIRE. Received Eel). 2, 5.5' p.m. London, Jan. 30. The Morning Post in strongly 3up-. porting the Dominions' claim'; to the German colonies says that apparently the British dele-gates want to surrender the territories our soldiers and sailors have died to win for the Empire, whereas the Dominions' delegates are faithful to their trust and refuse to betrp.v it. If the British delegates weakly persist in this attitude they will not only be surrendering British interests, hut sowing the seeds of such bitter discontent in the Dominions as might disrupt the Empire. General Jfaurice, writing for the Daily v <".vs from Paris, says the prospect of getting the mandatory system applied to the majority of the German colonies is now favorable, but secret treaties are the obstacle. The difficulty is to find a formula satisfying the claims under the secret treaty v.hilc raifegu&rding the league of nations. French circles arc disposed to regard the idea of placing the colonies under the league as a return to the discredited condominium. This is a misconception, as only one power will administer each colony.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc

AN AFRICAN PETITION. EIGHTS OF COLORED PEOPL,!. Received Feb. 1, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, Jan. 31. A depulai'on from an African political organisation representing colored people presented a resolution to the Governor(General, passed at a large number of meetings throughout the Union, urging that the conquered territories should not ba handed back to Germany, and that none of these territories be incorporated into the Union until the colored people of the Cape receive the rights whereof thev were deprived by the Act of Union, and that full political rights be extended to the colored people of the rest of the Union; also that no colored disabilities he placed o\i the people of those territories.

The Got ernor-Genf.rai undertook to transmit the /esolution, but pointed out that a certain paragraph fell entirely within the responsibility of the Union ' ■o* eminent, wherein the Imperial Go\ernment could, under no circumstances, interfere LVJii- N.Z. Cable Afe^c"

THE JAPANESE PROGRAMME. deceived Feb. 2, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Jar. 30. Le Matin states that the Japanese programme nine points, and it agrees that Australia should take New Guinea, the Samoan question to be decided in agreement with Anglo-American opinion; Japan to have the Marshalls, Carolines, and Ladrones, also Tsingtao and Kiaoeliau. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

THE CONGO QUESTION.

Received Feb. 2, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Jan. 31. The Belgian delegates discussed the Congo question with the Council authori-

WAR AGREEMENTS. TO BE EXAMINED BY CONFERENCE, Received Feb. 2, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Jan. 30.

Mr. Eraser writes that M. i'ardieu, one of the French peace delegates, interviewed, was asked whether as a result of the institution of the League of Nations all agreements made during the war would be torn up. He said such agreements would be examined by the Peace Conference, Therefore there could be no a priori answer to the question. Germany would be called into the conference as soon as 'definite terms and the League of Nations were arranged There was every hope for a settlement between the Poles and the Czecho-Slovaks.— and N.Z. Cable Assoc.

LOSSES BY U-BOATS. BRITAIN CLAIMS TON FOR TON, Received Feb. 2, 11.30 u.m. New York, Jan. 31. The World states that according to well-informed circles Britain is claiming ton for ton reparation from Germany for merchantmen sunk by U-boats. President Wilson is taking the view that the reparation claims of France and Belgium should bo satisfied before those of other nations Britain's view is that •her (merchantmen losses should be considered in the same category as the French and Belgian war losses. —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc.

AUSTRIAN STATISTICS. Received, Feb. 1, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Jan. 30. Mr. Fraaer states that it is understood that lite ' Council has received Austria's statistics as a basis for determining claims. This is important, as self-deter-mination in some of the Balkan provinces hinges on the population figures, which hitherto have been available only from Austrian sources.—Aus, and N,X. Cable Assoc.

SHOULD GREECE HAVE CYPRUS?

Received Feb. 2, 11.40 p.m. Paris, Jan. 30. M. Venizelos is raising the question of handing Cyprus to Greece.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.