The Dominion "SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1916. THE ENEMY'S SECRET WILES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2920, 4 November 1916, Page 8

The Dominion "SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1916. THE ENEMY'S SECRET WILES

The latest batch;of. war books includes a forcibly-written volume by Mr. Cecil Chesterton, entitled The Perils of Peace, published by T. Werner, Laurie, Ltd. The writer is a' brother of Mr. G. K. Chesterton, whose mastery of epigram and paradox and satire has won for himself a place in the front rank of present-day essayists. Mr. Cecil Chesterton is no match for his brother as far as literary brilliance is concerned, but ho is decidedly clover and has a direct and forceful way of putting things. • In criticism he is direct, and unsparing;- • He is anxious to warn his countrymen against .the pacifist' danger. Ho rightly holds that it is imperativo that .public opinion should be roused in time to give so emphatic a mandate against any peace that does not involve in tho fullest sense the annihilation of Prussia as'a military Power that no politician could venture to assent to any settlement which. ..would, not .secure for the Allies the full fruits of victory-.-Some of Mr. Chesterton's personal judgments may bo harsh and unfair, his dissertations on forms of government are by no means convincing, and in his "asides" he frequently strikes a jarring note; but he makes somo very good points, and he drives' homo his main argument by means of an impressive array of relevant facts which tho British public would do well to ponder over. The pacifist peril takes many forms. Tho influence of cosmopolitan financc may at some- critical juncture bo exerted in favour of premature peace. The inclinations of international financiers would naturally tend "to a peace which would' so far as possiblo re-establish tho status rju-o ante bellitm." But there are many other less obvious dangers.. The story of tho formation of the Union of Democratic Control shows the necessity of keeping a close watch on . the pacifist propaganda. In the private circular sent, out for the purpose of inviting subscriptions' for the-formation of tho union ono •of the objects of the. movement is thus described: "To aim at securing such terms that this war will not, either through the humiliation-of the defeated nation or an artificial rearrangement of frontiers, merely become- the starting point for new na-' tional antagonisms • and- ' futuro wars." It is a significant fact that from the union's public appeals and from ofiicial' declaration of its objects all reference "to tho humiliation of tho defeated nation is omitted. It is not unfair or unreasonable to assume that "this tender regard for the Kaiser's feelings, this anxiety to spare the devastators of Belgium anything that could wound their sensibility, shows clearly enough what was. the real motive of those who inaugurated'the society." There can be no doubt that the pacifists are, 'wittingly or tin wit'-' tingly, playing into the hands of tho enemy. • Mr-. Chesterton contends that-there is a secret German propaganda at work in Britain-with tho object of fostering a peace-sentiment which will weaken the determination of the Empire to carry on 1 the struggle.'relentlessly until the' power of .Prussia .has been" Mterly crushed.' This propaganda sometimes takes the .form of an appeal to the spirit of generosity; at other times stress, is -laid upon the enormous sacrifice of blood aud treasure that is going on; and there ,is also a constant endeavour to make the nation pessimistic' by creating the impression that neither side can hope.to achieve, i decisive and overwhelming victory —that the most we. can expect is a stalemate. This is quite what Germany wants to make the British public believe. This idea can find no support in any rational interpretation of -the -existing situation, but it has got a hold upon the minds of' the pacifists and pessimists. ■ Though tho enemy is still fighting with tremendous vigour," Mr. Chesterton is. undoubtedly right- • when he declares that 'in all human probability the "Allies can completely defeat—that is to' say, disarm and imposo any, terms' they choose upon — Prussia if they, continue to fight and refuse to listen to any talk of negotiation. There is good reason to believe that Germany would now accept any pe-aco which left ber military and;naval power in being, the resources, of her Empire still at her disposal,, and ber international action unfettered. Sho would, of

course, try t-q get more, than this, but ; 'if p.ushed hard enough she would agree to. a settlement on such lines. She could offer terms which to shortsighted peoplo might- seem reasonable, if not generous. It is well that the people and politicians of the British Empire should be prepared for proposals to stop the war before complete victory has been won. We must never allow ourselves to forget that such a settlement would place the Empire in a position of gravest danger. ■ Germany would devote all her energies to -the task of overthrowing .our Empire. She would concentrate' her hate and desire for revenge upon us. The Germans would never rest until they had deprived Britain of her colonial empire, her maritime trade, and her sea power. -Me. Chesterton warns us, as many other writers familiar with conditions in Germainy have warned us, that if we allow Prussia "to remain the rallying Centre of the Germanic peoples, she will admit the limitation of her ambitions only so far as_ the facts compel her. Sho will admit them only'for a time. She twill replenish and recuperate her strength. She will rearm. She will intrigue and bribe with the object of securing new supporters and disarming old enemies. And she will then seek to recover as much as possible of what she has lost by somo treacherous stroke against such rival as she thinks she> N can most easily and completely isolate." That rival is Britain'.' Now that Germany realises that she cannot defeat us in this war she is using all her wiles for the purpose of breaking the unity of our national sentiment and trapping us into a prematurepeace. If we allow ourselves to bo tricked in this way wo will only have ourselves to blame for tho disastrous consequences which our own folly will have brought upon us. Instead of being able to look forward to a long and settled period of peace and security wo shall -have gained only a temporary respite; and will be compelled, to take up anew enormous burdens imposed by the necessity of naval and military preparation in anticipation of the aggression of a recupcratcd Germany. Tho conditions of peace, we arc told in a cablo messago to-day, wero decidcd on by the Allies in March last, and they will be submitted, when Germany is defeated, . for unconditional acceptance. We-may -hope that such is tho case, but a strong public sentimont, such as that voiced yesterday, by Lord Rosebery, is desirable as a, safeguard against any weakening or backsliing on the part of the politicians who will act for tho Empire when the time comes.