The press THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1918. Germany's Latest Bid for Peace.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16148, 28 February 1918, Page 6

The press THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1918. Germany's Latest Bid for Peace.

The time had arrived when more " peace talk" was to be expected from Germany. The internal condition of that country* according to tho apparently trustworthy information obtained by the American Government, is now desporate; a largo proportion of the civil population is suffering from semistarvation, and dying from disease; there are signs that a large section is ripo for revolt if only there were the means of doing so with effect. Austria and Turkey are in an even worse condition, and both must be cursing . the day when they allowed themselves to be bound to -the Gorman chariotwheels. It is true, Russia is in a state of col lapse j and suffering from a • condition of anarchy without a paralbl in tho world's history. Gorman troops, well-disciplined and properly supplied, are apparently able to overrun *vhe country whero they choose, and the soi-disant Russian leaders, evidently terror-stricken in fhe midst of the \ horrors which they have helped to bring about, are making wild offers to conclude peaco on any terms. In ine breath they aro suing for mercy, and in the next they call on tho "proletariat of the countries to whom they offer surrender, to rise against their military masters, and thus rescuo the suppliants from tho consequences of their, own criminal folly. A more amazing spectacle was never seen before m tho history of any nation, v It can be very easily conjcctured that the abject condition of Russia, and tie chaos prevailing in that hapless country, are really a source of embarrassment to Germany. A peaco signed by a few ignorant visionaries or adventurers, is of little value when, any there may be a new revolution, and behind it all is tho depressing spectaclo of millions of armed Japanese, p J"** ""V at any 'time take a hand in feu

the game. Nevertheless, the collapse of Russia is of value as keeping up the "moral" of the German people, and doubtless tho German military party hope that it will also help them very materially by depressing tho "moral" of tho Entente peoples. To assist in producing this effect, preparations arc being made for a renewed offensive on the Western and Italian fronts, and the talk advertising those preparations is doubtless relied upon, even more than the preparations themselves, to bring about an atmosphere favourablo to the success of tho German designs. There is, however, for the first timo a modification in the Chancellor's tone, which shows an increasing anxiety on his part to engage the Allies in some discussion about peace. He professes hit; -wnlLinguoss to accept President Wilson's principles as a basis for discussion. At length he has brought himself to admit the possibility of Belgium being evacuated, but he says nothing about reparation, and ho talks of guarantees against that country being used as a base of operations for attacking Germany. The old dodge of trying to distort facts and deceive neutrals as to tho objects for which the Allies arc fighting is again resorted to—Franco simply for Alsace-Lorraine, England to separate Palestine and Syria from Turkey, and so forth. For what then is America fighting? The Chancellor does not say, because a truthful answer to that question would give the real reason why tho whole of tho Allies are fighting, and would blow away tho cloud of lies and sophistry in which the Chancellor is trying to hide tho truth. They arc all fighting to prevent the domination of the civilised world by the German militarists, and tho extinction ol' civilisation in Ilunnish "kultur." To enter into parley with them at this moment would simply bo to play into their hands. Wo know what happened when tho Russians agreed to sign an amnesty, and we should be fools indeed were wo to allow ourselves to be gulled in the same way. There is every indication that the Central Powers are now really reaching tho end of their resources, and perhaps when they have tried their utmost on tho Western front and failed —as they ivil] fail—we may consent to talk to them. There is a cunning appeal to English Boloists and ! Bolshevists in the Chancellor's spcech, but these are a small portion of tho population, and the heart of the nation is sound. The Vienna "Arbeiter Zeitung" is right when it says that America, Britain, and Franco "will " fight to the bitter end." It is "tho " only way."