ALLIES' LAST WORD

Waikato Times, Volume 90, Issue 14088, 18 June 1919, Page 5

ALLIES' LAST WORD

REPLY TO GERMAN PROPOSALS

PEACE TERMS BASEO ON JUSTICE

AMENDED TREATY PRESENTED

THE BASIC PRINCIPLES UNALTERED

(Australian and N.Z. and Reuler.) (Received June 17, 10.40 p.m.)

LONDON, June Li. The summary of the Allied reply to the German counter proposals has been issued officially. In a covering letter the Allies, referring to the German protest against a" peace of violence," emphasise the point that the war was the greatest crime against humanity ever consciously committed by a nation calling itself civilised. The Allies also emphasise Germany's responsibilty for planning and starting the war, in which 7,000,000 men had died and over 20,000,000 had been wounded and suffered. The letter also points to the savage and inhuman manner in which the war was conducted by the German troops. Germany Must Suffer. The Allies express the belief that they would be false to those who have given their all to save the freedom of the world if they consent to treat the war as anything but a crime against humanity. Right and Justice is the only possible basis of peace, but it must be justice for all—for the dead, wounded, orphaned and bereaved, for peoples now struggling under war debts exceeding £30,000,000,000, and for millions whose property German savagery has spoliated and destroyed. This is why the Allies insisted as a cardinal feature of the treaty that Germany must undertake to make reparation to the very utmost of her power; that the individuals responsible for the German, aggression and outrages during the war must be handed over to justice, and that Germany must submit for a few years to certain special disabilities and arrangements. If these things are hardships for Germany she has brought them on herself. Somebody must suffer the consequences of the war. Is it to be Germany or the peoples she has wronged ? The German revolution represents a great hope for peace and a new European order in the future, but it cannot affect the settlement of the war. The revolution was stayed until the German armies were defeated and all hope of profiting by the war of conquest had vanished. The German people throughout the war supported the war and shared the responsibility with their Government, and they cannot now pretend, having changed their rulers after the war was lost, that it is just that they should escape the consequences of their deeds. The peace the Allies propose is fundamentally a peace •! justice.

the fulfilment of the necessary condii tions. They are prepared to accord guarantees of protection to German minorities in the ceded territories. The German acceptance of the disarmament terms will hasten a general reduction of armaments. Readjustment of Boundaries. As regards the European political clauses, it is pointed out that the German Note misconstrued the Saar basin provisions. The delegation's refusal to carry out reparations which have the character of punishment appears to exclude the conception that justice is essential. _ In any settlement the Allies will not admit a plebiscite for Alsace-Lorraine. After defending the cardinal guiding principles regarding the eastern frontiers of Germany, the Allies express their readiness in order to eliminate any possible injustice to reconsider the Question that the historical frontiers between Pomerania and . West Prussia be respected, and no part' ol Germany outside the former King- ! dom of Poland be included in restored Poland. The Allies also point out that the isolation of East Prussia, which Germany refuses to accept, has existed for centuries. It is not by origin German land, but a colony. * Dantzig was not included in Poland because it is German. The Allies have decided that Upper Silesia will not imme- ' diately be ceded to Poland. This will not be done till after a plebiscite is taken under Allied control. The main point of the whole settlement is the genuine interest of the inhabitants, not the satisfaction of national pride. The Germans transferred to Poland are expressly safeguarded. The Memcl district will be transferred to the Allies as the status of the Lithuanian territories has not yet been established. Heligoland Clauses Unaltered.

The articles regarding Heligoland must be accepted unconditionally, and they will be executed under the supervision of an Allied Commission. The German Colonies. Rearding the ex-German colonies the Allies state that they have placed the native populations' interests before every other consideration. Germany's subordination of the native interests to her 1 own ambition has been revealed too completely to admit of the Allies consenting to make a second experiment and risking the fate of 13 or 14 millions of natives. Moreover the Allies were •bound to make safeguards against the establishment of bases from which the world's trade could be threatened. The loss of Germany's colonies need not hinder her development. The trade of the German colonies never represented more than a very small fraction of her total trade—one half per cent, of her imports and exports in 1913. Of the total colonial products imported by Germany only three per cent, came from her own colonies, and . for natural reasons the German colonies were not capable of accommodating more than a very small proportion of German emigrants. The conditions laid down had been determined upon in accordance with international law, and the interests. The same applies to the regulation of German property in China. Main Military Clauses Remain. The Allies cannot agree to any alteration of the main military conditions, nevertheless they are willing to reduce the German army more gradually than at present stipulated, namely, to a maximum of 200,000 within three months, and at the end of three months and every subsequent three months Allied military experts shall fix the strength of the German army for the ensuing period, in order to reduce it to the stipulated 100.000 at the soonest possible date, anyhow by March 31, 1920. The reduction of officers and guns will be similarly proportioned. The period for the demolition of the fortifications is modified. German Naval Proposals Refused. The German naval proposals cannot be entertained. The naval articles having been carefully framed, must be accepted unconditionally. No negotiations are necessary on this point. The Reparation Terms. The Allies state that the German delegates misunderstood or misinterpreted the reparation proposals. The Allies welcome the Gorman proposal to create a commission to co-operate with the Allied commissions. Germany will be invited to present evidence and submit special reparation proposals within four months from the signature of the peace. Proposals particularly acceptable will be those specifying the German offer of a lump sum in settlement of the whole or part of the liability, or the offer to repair in part or whole any damaged district, or the offer of the use of labour for that purpose. Therefore inspection facilities will be granted on these matters. The offers must be precise and- devoid of any ambiguity, but IIh 1 categories and reparation clauses are indisputable. The Allies, without in any way committing themselves now. will within two months reply to any proposals.

Territorial Proposals Necessary. The Allies are satisfied that their territorial proposals accord with the agreed basis of peace and are necessary to the maintenance of the future peace of Europe. The Allies, therefore, are not prepared to modify them, except in respects hereinafter laid down. With regard to the economic and financial proposals, the Allies have no intention of strangling Germany or preventing her taking her proper place in international trade and commerce, provided she abides by the Treaty of Peace and abandons her 'aggressive and exclusive traditions in business. The Allies intend that Germany shall have fair treatment in the purchase of raw materials and other goods, subject to the temporary provisions mentioned >.n the interests of the nations ravaged by Germany. The Allies desire that the passions of war should die as soon as possible and that all nations, including Germany, shall share in the prosperity that will come from an honest supply of material needs. In order to make this intention clear a number of modifications are made in the financial and economic clauses of the Treaty, but the principles on which the Treaty is drawn up must stand. The Allies are not prepared to modify the reparation proposals which wore designed to make the payment of reparation as easy and convenient as possible and to be interpreted in that sense, but with a view to arriving as soon as possible at a fixed definite sum payable by Germany, they are willing to accord Germany all reasonable facilities to enable her to survey the devastated regions and make proposals for the settlement of the claims. The Allies' Last Word. The Allies emphasise the point that this covering letter and attached memorandum constitutes their last word. They have examined the German counter-proposals earnestly and carefully, and consequently have made important modifications in the draft treaty, but in its fundamental outline they stand by the Treaty which must be accepted or rejected in its present form. Failing a declaration by the German delegation within five days that they are prepared to sign the Treaty as amended, the armistice will immediately terminate and the Allies will take such steps as they think needful to enforce the terms. Responsibility for the War. In the summarised reports of tluir reply the Allies, referring to the responsibility for the war, emphasise the fact that .their views are not merely based on the events between July, 1914. and the outbreak of war. Autocratic Germany under its rulers' inspiration had been long bent on a war of domination and aggression. The essential truth of the Allied charges was admitted by the German revolution. The Allies consider the punishment of those principally responsible for so much world-wide, misery and suffering is essential to justice and to act as a deterrent to other rulers. The Allies cannot agree-'to the trial of the guilty by their own accomplices. The Kaiser is arraigned as a matter of high international policy. The accused will hi' ensured full rights and liberties regarding their defence in order that the judgment shall be of the most solemn ami judicial character. The Allies refute the delegation's endeavour to prove that the Peace Treaty constitutes a breach of the basis of peace in accordance with Hie Wilsonian principles. The Allies see no reason why Germany cannot become 1 a member of the League of Nations in the early future if her acts promise