THE ENTENTE'S NOTE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2976, 13 January 1917, Page 8

THE ENTENTE'S NOTE

In reply to President Wilson's. request for further information regarding the objects for which they jie fightmg the Allies have now given a definite outline of their war aims. They-also make it unmistakably clear that they are determined to continue the struggle until their efforts arc 'crowned with victory. Tho Note contains no surprises. It gathers together and restates announcements which have been made from time to time regarding tho terms.upon which the Allies will insist when the time comes for considering the conditions of peace. It also makes explicit much that has hitherto been implicit. It is the clearest' assertion of the intentions of the Allies that has yefi been officially promulgated. The plain statement that a satisfactory peace is at present impossible may reasonably be regarded as a friendly hint to Me. Wilson that it would be wise to postpone his endeavours to bring ths conflict to an end until a more convenient season. The Allies will not allow themselves to be diverted from their purpose by untimely interference on the part of outsiders, however well-in-tentioned., They are : determined to finish, the great task which they began in August, 1914, arid to bring the war to a good end. They have given.-the PRESiDENT-all the informa-tion-which they can reasonably be expected to supply at' the present stage; • They are fully justified in contending that the discussion of details must be reserved for "the hour of negotiation." In broad outline the Entente's peace terms are now known to the whole world. The Allies are not yet in a position to enforce them, but. Mr. Lloyd Ge'orge believes that- they will be able "to cleave;a, road to victory in 1917." The Germans declare that their aim has already been achieved, ancl now they want to stop tho fight. They are appealing to the spectators to intervene before they receive tho knock-out blow which they know is bound to como sooner or later. They aire whining about tho refusal of the Allies to open negotiations. Germany now assures, the world that slie sincerely hoped that her peaco Note would succced. Of course she did. She it would succeed in putting tho Allies into a false position, and in gaining tho sympathy pf ;neutrals. It was a cunning _ manoeuvre, but it failed. The Allies will take good care not to be bluffed into the acceptance of any German-made peace. Tho enemy is trying to persuade neutrals that his peace terms have been rejected; but, as Mr. Lloyd George remind? us,, the Allies have not received any peace proposals from tho Central Powers. If tho suggestions formulated by Prince AVedel's committee really represent the views of the German Government, it should be quite evident, even to the most ardent pacifist, that anything in the nature of peace talk at the present moment is utterly and hopelessly futile. Tho publication of this committee's new programme at this juncture is no doubt an impudent piece of German bluff. It is'anotiicr proof of the insipcerity of tho enemy, who is making desperate attempts to divide the Allies and divert them, from their purpose. These shams and subterfuges make it abundantly clear that tho real peace,,to which Mr. Lloyd Geouct refers in his Guildhall speech reported in our ca])le columua, can only be attained after Germany has

been completely vanquished. It is satisfactory to have tho British Prime Minister's assurance that the llomc Conference showed that tho Allied Governments realise tho magnitude of the task before them, and arc united in the certainty of- ultimate victory.