U. S. SENATE SEEKS PART IN NEGOTIATIONS INVESTIGATION OF TREATY "LEAK."-On June 6, following statements by Senators Lodge and Borah that several copies of the Peace Treaty were in circulation in New York and elsewhere, the Senate passed a resolution introduced by Senator Hitchcock for an investigation of the treaty “leak.” Subsequent testimony revealed that a copy had been given to Mr. Henry P. Davison upon his return to New York by Mr. Thomas W. Lamont, associated with the American delegation as a financial expert. Ex-Senator Root pointed out to the Senate Investigating Committee that, upon its publication by Germany, the treaty was no longer a private document.

To the Senate's request for a copy of the treaty, President Wilson on June 16 replied through the Secretary of State that “it would not be in the public interest to communicate officially to the Senate a text which is provisional and not definite, and he finds no precedent for such a procedure."

KNOX RESOLUTION AGAINST LEAGUE OF NATIONS.-Senator Knox, on June 11, introduced in the Senate a resolution expressing opposition to any treaty provision which would in effect amend the Constitution of the United States, and advising that the treaty be so drawn as to permit states to ratify without taking action regarding the League of Nations. This resolution was favorably reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, but was not put to a vote in the Senate.

RESOLUTION FOR IRISH HEARING.-On June 6 the Senate passed a resolution requesting the American Peace Delegation to secure a hearing for the cause of Ireland before the Peace Conference. According to reports from Paris, it was the President's intention to submit this request without comment.

PEACE TERMS TO AUSTRIA

DR. RENNER'S ADDRESS.-The Allies presented peace terms to the Austrian delegates at St. Germain on June 2. By his reply, delivered standing and in French, Dr. Karl Renner, the chairman of the Austrian delegation, made a favorable impression. He referred to the Austrian republic as completely divorced from the old Hapsburg monarchy, and as one of eight nationalities which had "over-night created their own parliaments, their own governments, their own armies, in short, their own independent states."

Regarding Austria's relations with other former parts of the empire and with the Allies, he spoke as follows:

Between them and us it is not a question of making peace, but of liquidating the former partnership and settling the future relations under the intervention and guarantee of the powers, for which we pray. Nevertheless, these succeeding states, meeting face to face in Paris, play quite a different rôle in regard to their obligations assumed in the past. We expect to eliminate this contradiction at the Peace Conference. I reserve to myself the opportunity of drawing like conclusions from this contradiction later on.

We are before you as one of the parts of the vanquished and fallen empire. We assume our portion of the liabilities, growing out of these our relations to the Allied powers, and we are well aware of the fact that our fate is resting in your hands.

We hope and believe that the conscience of the world shall not deny to our people, nor curtail, the inalienable right of self-determination, which the associated powers have always proclaimed to be the very aim of their war waged against the Hapsburg and the Hohenzollern monarchies, a right which our people, confiding in the principles recognized by the Allied powers, have adopted as a fundamental basis of their new constitution.

We trust that the world's common sense will not have in view, nor will permit, our economic ruin. The destruction of the economic unit of the monarchy, the separation of our mountainous country from all its national resources, has condemned us, these last six months, to privations which are by far exceeding the sufferings endured in war time.

The latter part of the address suggested Austria's desire to unite with Germany, as a matter of economic necessity. Having received the treaty terms, the Austrian delegates returned to Innsbruck for a conference with members of their government. After Germany's example, June 6 was declared a day of mourning over the peace requirements.

TERMS OF PEACE.-While the officially published summary of the Austrian peace terms was marked chiefly by its omissions, it revealed that the military terms and those relating to the League of Nations were in general identical with those offered to Germany. Details of frontiers, especially the Italian, were for the most part omitted. Provision was made for the rights of minority peoples in the various new states. A summary follows:

The treaty will consist of a preamble and 14 parts, the preamble and Section 1 embodying the covenant of the League of Nations, as in the treaty with Germany.

Part II deals with frontiers. The boundary between Austria and CzechoSlovakia follows practically the old Bohemian frontier, although with the reservation of a possibility of making minor changes later. Austria retains on the west her old frontier with Switzerland, the question of the union of Voralsberg with Switzerland having apparently been dropped, despite the plebiscites already undertaken in that province and Switzerland. The southern frontier is not determined in the treaty.

Part III contains political clauses, including also some of the reserved geographical provisos, and clauses establishing mixed commissions to determine them later.

The sections referring to Italy are all omitted.

Others deal with the future relations of Austria with Czecho-Slovakia, Jugo-Slavia, Poland, Hungary and Russia. Here are found the stipulations for the protection of racial minorities, which, so far as the minorities in Austria are concerned, are to be embodied in a "bill of rights," as part of the Austrian Constitution.

Then come parts dealing with Austria's renunciation of all rights outside of Europe, military, naval and aerial armaments, which hereafter will entail virtually no expense for Austria, and the return of prisoners of war.

The

Part VIII, on reparations, is blank. Part IX, dealing with finance, may be changed as a result of the representations of the new states. economic clauses and aerial navigation regulations are identical with those in the German treaty.

Part XII, on ports, waterways and railways, provides for commercial outlets southward by water and rail. These details have already been covered in the report of the Inter-Allied Ports, Waterways and Railways Commission. Part XIII contains the international labor convention, and Part XIV various miscellaneous provisions of minor importance.

BELA KUN REPLIES TO PEACE CONFERENCE NOTE.-In reply to a note from President Clemenceau, the contents of which were not revealed, Bela Kun, the Hungarian Communist Foreign Minister, expressed his willingness to cease hostilities with the Czecho-Slovaks, although he claimed that the Czecho-Slovaks themselves were responsible for violations of the frontier established by the Allies. The Hungarian leader suggested the appointment of a commission to settle these disputes, and closed by expressing satisfaction that the Allies had invited Hungary to the conference.

In Paris circles it was not admitted that a direct invitation had been extended to Bela Kun, nor was it regarded as certain that he would cease hostilities undertaken "for the liberation of the Czecho-Slovak proletariat."

SCHEME FOR RHINE REPUBLIC

Apparently with the sanction of French military and political authorities, a Rhenish republic was proclaimed at Wiesbaden on June 1. Dr. Dorten, a former state's attorney, became head of the new government and sent telegrams to the Paris Conference on June 2 announcing the proclamation of the republic by delegates assembled at Wiesbaden, and declaring popular support for the movement. As shown by later developments and reports from American sectors in the Rhineland, there was in reality little popular sympathy behind the move to separate the Rhine provinces from the rest of Germany.

PROTESTS FROM BERLIN.-Berlin, June 3 (Associated Press).-The German Armistice Commission has handed to Marshal Foch a note for the Allied powers protesting against French support of the proclamation of a Rhenish republic as high treason against Germany, and complaining of Colonel Pinot's threats and actions at Weisbaden. The note concludes: "This action on the part of the French occupation authorities is in sharpest contradiction to the armistice conditions and represents the grossest violation of obligations legally undertaken. The German Government makes the sharpest protest against this behavior."

In response to Dr. Dorten's notification of the proclamation of a republic, the German Chancellor, Philipp Scheidmann, has ordered the prosecution of Dorten and the other members of his government for high treason, and has declared all the official acts of the new government void.-N. Y. Times, 4/6.

ASSERT FOCH'S APPROVAL.-The only support in Germany for the separatist movement seems to have come from members of the Catholic center party. According to a Mannheim despatch of June 4, General Gerard of the French Army was approached in the matter by two Centrist members of the National Assembly on March 8. The delegates received assurances of protection from French authorities, including Marshal Foch, who was quoted as declaring the establishment of one or more independent Rhine states inevitable.

The Berlin government on June 6 appointed Karl Trimborn, a leading member of the Centrist Party, as regional president of the Rhineland. This was regarded as a concession to republican sentiment in the Rhine country, and as a counter-measure against the separation movement.

RUSSIA

ALLIES PLEDGE SUPPORT TO KOLCHAK.-On May 26 the allied and associated powers sent to the All-Russian Government at Omsk a note which, it is understood, offered the Omsk Government support, including munitions and supplies, on condition that the Omsk Government should accept the decisions of the Peace Conference and assure self-government in Russia. To the terms of this note, Admiral Kolchak gave a conditional acceptance, summarized as follows:

Paris, June 7 (Associated Press). Further details of the reply of Admiral Kolchak, head of the government at Omsk, to the Entente conditions for the recognition of his government became known to-day. He has made two exceptions to the proposals. He agrees to call a Constituent Assembly with full powers, but takes exception to the alternative in the Entente offer that the old Constituent Assembly elected in 1917 should be recalled in case it proves impossible to form a new one immediately after his arrival in Moscow.

He declares that the old Constituent Assembly was elected irregularly, before the Bolshevist doctrines were discredited, and, consequently, the members elected are not representative of present-day Russia.

He also takes exception to the provision that Finland as an independent state shall be represented, stating that this is a matter on which the Constituent Assembly must decide.

He concedes Polish independence, as that was approved by a democratic Russian Government, functioning regularly.

According to the Havas Agency, Admiral Kolchak says that while his government has already recognized the independence of Poland, the final frontiers will have to be adjusted by mutual agreement, and that his government will accept the assistance of the various non-Bolshevist governments in solving the difficulties during the period of transition prior to the establishment of a regular government.

Concerning the Russian debts, Admiral Kolchak reiterates the decision of his government to pay all debts contracted by the various governments up to the Bolshevist revolution of November, 1917.

ALLIES' NOTE OF JUNE 12.-Paris, June 12 (Associated Press).-The reply sent by the Council of Four to-day to the note of Admiral Kolchak extends to him and his associates in the All-Russian Government at Omsk what is interpreted here as de facto recognition. The note reads:

"The allied and associated powers wish to acknowledge the receipt of Admiral Kolchak's reply to their note of May 26. They welcome the terms of that reply, which seem to them to be in substantial agreement with the propositions they had made and to contain satisfactory assurances for the freedom, self-government and peace of the Russian people and their neighbors.

"They are therefore willing to extend to Admiral associates the support set forth in their original letter.

Kolchak and his

LLOYD GEORGE,
WILSON,
CLEMENCEAU,
MAKINO."

It is understood that the support referred to involves the furnishing of munitions and supplies for Admiral Kolchak's campaign.

The Havas Agency says Premier Orlando of Italy also signed the document.

An official statement issued by Admiral Kolchak states that he has appointed a commission, headed by M. Billareugsoff, to make a study of constitutional questions preparatory to the framing of a constitution which will be submitted to the proposed Constituent Assembly.-N. Y. World,

AMERICANS LEAVE NORTH RUSSIA.-According to an Archangel despatch of June 6 all the American forces will be withdrawn from the North Russian front by the last of June. The second contingent to leave was then assembled at Economia, the winter port of Archangel, and was expected to sail within 10 days. The total casualties of American forces on the North Russian front was stated to be 556.

FAR EAST

CHINA WILL SIGN TREATY, WITH RESERVATIONS ON SHANTUNG.-Paris, May 24.-Luther G. Chang and C. E. Wang, two of the ranking Chinese delegates, said today that they would probably sign the Peace Treaty with a reservation stating that they did not waive their claim for the transfer of German rights in Shantung to China direct and did not recognize the transfer to Japan.

The Chinese are unable to sign the treaty without reserve because the situation in China is acute, but they are eager to see China become a member of the League of Nations and to share the benefits resulting from the opium agreement.

Anti-Japanese agitation increased in China with the announcement of the treaty terms relating to Shantung. Mass meetings assembled in various cities, and it was reported that all institutions of learning in Pekin had gone on strike in protest. A boycott of "enemy" Japanese goods was declared at Shanghai and other ports. According to a Tokio despatch of June 11 several Japanese warships had been sent to Shanghai.

ALLIES ASSURED OF PEACE IN CHINA.-Peking, June 6 (Associated Press). -The British Minister, Sir John N. Jordan, on behalf of the diplomatic body in Peking, yesterday tendered an aide memoire to President Hsu Shih-chang, in which the powers expressed deep regret at the suspension of the Shanghai Conference which had been endeavoring to effect conciliation between North and South China.

In reply President Hsu Shih-chang stated that, although the Shanghai Conference had come to a standstill, the negotiations for peace between North and South China were still in progress. The President assured the British Minister that the government was determined to secure peace, and that it was impossible that hostilities would be resumed.-N. Y. Times, 8/6.