THE PEACE TERMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19876, 18 February 1920, Page 3

THE PEACE TERMS.

SUPREME COUNCIL. THE ADRIATIC QUESTION. I By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright “Tho Times” Service. LONDON, February 17. The Supreme Council at Downing otreefc to-day discussed the question of the Turkish peace, in connection with which M. Venezelos attended. He stated the case for Greece. The Council also discussed the draft of a reply to President Wilson’s Note in reference to the Adriatic question. The draft, is not yet completed, and the forecasts published probably will be found inaccurate It is understood that President Wilson’s letter was not a gratuitous intervention but was in the nature of a reply to a Note from the conference outlining provisional decisions and the reasons for them.

REPLY TO PRESIDENT WILSON’S NOTE.

ALLIES IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT. 5(Received February 17, 11.35 jj.m.) LONDON, February 17. The dramatic decisions by the Allied conference at London last week concerning the fate of the ex-Kaiser and war criminals and the fate of Constantinople, followed by President Wilson’s bombshell, which threatens to destroy the proposed Jugo-Slav settlement, have stirred the world deeply. Ihey are regarded in some quarters as indicating that revisions of the Treaty-of Versailles may eventually be necessary. President Wilson’s Note is described by bis intimates at Washington as indicative of recovery of the President’s vigour and determination to actively intervene in affairs. _ It is understood that 1 resident Wilson s Noto is a long document of eight typewritten pages, addressed to the British and French Governments, and not to the Italian. President Wilson examines the differences between the memorandum of December 9, to which he agreed, and the Paris compromise of January 20. He declares that if . the compromise is adhered to the United States might be obliged to withdraw from the Treaty of Versailles. The nature of the reply to President Wilson’s memorandum is not disclosed, but it is known to be uncompromising, emphasising complete agreement between Britain, France and Italy, not merely on the subject of the Adriatic, but on all questions before the conference. WAR CRIMINALS. THE GERMAN OFFER. (Received February 17, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, February 17. The Supreme Council has issued ai reply to the German Note of January “&, which set out the grave political and economic consequences likely to arise through surrender of war criminals. The Powers record Germany’s declaration of inability to carry out the Peace Iraaty in regard to the surrenders. They accordingly reserve power to employ the rights which the Treaty accords. The Allies note, the German offer to immediately open penal proceedings before the Supremo Court at Leipzig against all those whose extradition has been notified, also the undertaking that the Court will be under most complete guarantees and rot affected by other German judgments or Court practice. The Supreme Council'points out that the offer accords with the expresslvmentioned provision in Article 228 of the Treaty. The Allies therefore accept the offer, but reserve the right to decide by results whether Germany acts in good faith and associates herself in punishing crimes committed. The Allies, however, intend to appoint a mixed inter-Allied commission to collect evidence in support of the charges against the accused. The Powers reserve the right to decide whether Germany’s proposed procedure, dops not result in the escape of the accused from just punishment. in which case they will exercise full, rights by submitting the l cases to their own tribunals. UNAUTHORISED REPORTS. LONDON, February 17. In the House of Commons, replying to Lord Robert Cecil, Mr Bonar Law deprecated premature publication or discussion of part of the peace settlement, which would make the work of the Peace Conference more difficult. He declared that reports that the Allies had abandoned the demand for the surrender of war criminals, that the United States dissented from the proposals of the. Allies for the settlement of the Adriatic question, and that the Allies had decided to leave the Turks in possession of Constantinople were , absolutely unauthorised. He announced that the uew Allied Noto in regard to war criminals would be published as soon as it was received in Germany.