PEACE TALK.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16149, 1 March 1918, Page 7

PEACE TALK.

BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE

i OUTLINED. IMPORTANT SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received March Ist, 12.35 a.m.) LONDON, February 27. In tho House of Commons Mr Balfour (Foreign Minister), replying to criticism that the Government was not using diplomacy in -the interests of peace, said that diplomacy was out of court unless some measure of potential agreement existed, making diplomatic conversations fruitful of good results. All indications showed that we had not reached that happy stage. There was 110 clear direction in which tho sunlight of peace could make itself felt. That time might come soon, but we would be deceiving ourselves if we took a sanguine view in tho face of Count von Hcrtliny s .speech. There was only one course for Germany to pursue, and that was to say, "I have sinned," and next, to say, "I will make reparation and restore, without conditions, what I have taken." Germany's idea of economic freedom and frontier security always meant commercial trammels on her weaker neighbours and tho appropriation of territory. After dealing with other of Count von Hertling's statements, Mr Balfour declared that England did not use tho balance of power for self-aggran-disement. She fought only because by*. so doing Europe might be saved from the domination' of an overpowering, aggressive nation. England, in upholding tho balance of power, had saved Prussia from destruction, and later had helped her to recover her independence against Napoleon. It ill-became a German statesman to derido England's efforts for the balance of power. Until German militarism was abolished, and an International Court with executive powers established for the protection of the weak, it was impossible to ignore the principles underlying the balance of power. If Count von Hertling would induce his countrymen to give up their policy _of ambitious world domination, peace would come now and for ever. Referring to Count von Hertling's' statement that Germany's policy in the East was directed with a view to preventing atrocities and devastations and upholding humanity, Mr Balfour pointed out the fact that the Gorman policy in the West was entirely occupied in atrocities and devastations. We were ready to stand our trial at the bar of humanity, side by side with Germany. While Germany was determined to have the rest of tho civilised world creeping at her feet, it was difficult to conduct those diplomatic conversations which must be tho prelude to peace, and for which no one longed more than ourselves. Conversations begun and ended in discord were worse than none at all. To begin negotiations without seeing a way to their successful termination would be the greatest crime against the future. Peace negotiations must be preceded by a closer approximation of idoas. He would be injuring the cause of peace if he encouraged the hope that those verbal communications might .be useful until a general agreement was apparent in the distance., and statesmen in all countries could see their way to a settlement.