The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1917. ABORTIVE REVELATIONS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 55, 28 November 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1917. ABORTIVE REVELATIONS

Though they had loudly proclaimed their intention beforehand or publishing the secret treaties between the Allies, the extremists who are now attempting to operate the machinery of government in Russia have been slow in carrying out this threat An explanation of this lack of energy is supplied to-day. Uie treaties and correspondence between the Allies have been published, nut they have aroused no sensation for the excellent reason, mentioned in a Pctrograd message, that the substance of what they contain was already familiar. Taking the selected items published to-day as fair samples of what is to 'follow, ;twould appear that instead of the mine they had led their dupes to expect, the, Maximalists have exploded a feeble and entirely harmless squib The details transmitted suggest that the, term "treaties" has been erroneously applied to what arc in fact tentative proposals which passed between the Allies in private correspondence, and arrangements which in the nature of things could only be provisional. It is, however, more important that with one doubtful exception; to be noted presently, the war aims attributed to the Allies in this publication of secret documents have been openly, proclaimed. The general effect of the so-called revelations is not to establish but to effectually disprove the allegation of the Russian extremists that the Allied Governments arc for practical purposes on the same plane as the (Unscrupulous autocracies against whom they are fighting. It is claimed, however, that "Franco demanded, with the concurrence of Russia, the return of Alsace-Lorraine, and also the iron ore and coal districts, and the wooded region on the left bank of the llhine." Definite evidence is lacking that France has at any time demanded more than the restoration of her lost provinces and reparation for the present invasion of her territory, but if such a demand was ever mado it certainly did not receive tho general endorsement of the Allies, and is not included in the terms which France and the Allies arc dsterminedto secure before concluding peace. Apart from this item, which' affords at most a very poor pretext

for charging France with ontnrtainI ing aims of conquest, the intentions disclosed m the published documents are much more than covered bv tho declaration of war aims which the Allies made in January last in response to an invitation by Prfsidest Wilson. On that occasion the Allies named as essential conditions of peace tho restoration, with due compensation, of Belgium, Serbia, and Montenegro, (he evacuation with fitting reparation of tho invaded territories of Rumania, I'ranee, and Russia, .the liberation from foreign domination of Italians, Slavs, Rumanians, Czechs, and Slovaks, the liberation of the subject peoples of Turkey, and the Expulsion of the Ottoman Empire from Europe. The caso of AlsaceLorraine was covered in a stipulation that provinces or territories formerly torn from the Allies by force or against tho wishes of their inhabitants should bo restored. In regard to Poland the Allies accepted the declaration of tho Tsar that tho war-aims of Russia included "the creation of a. free Poland from all three of her now incomplete tribal districts." Poland is evidently referred to in tho document now published relating to certain territories which were to bo separated from Germany and freed from all political and economic dependence on Germany by being made a free neutral State.

It will be seen that the Allies not only openly proclaimed in all its essential features the peace programme now unearthed by the Maximalists from the Russian secret archives, but went considerably further. Tho only important outcome of tho Maximalist action, as far as matters have gone, is to emphasise the fact that the Allies are honestly fighting a war of liberation. A partial exposure of Germany's secret diplomacy has brought to light a series of infamous conspiracies against the peace and welfare of neutral nations, and has added to the proofs already available that Germany deliberately provoked the war with an utter disregard of law and morality, or any other consideration than that of material gain. Put to tho samo test the Allies are triumphantly vindicated. Tho publication of their diplomatic correspondence simply proves that their single aim is to create conditions making for freedom, happiness and stable peace. They cannot, it is true, meet the test imposed by tho Russian extremists in tho absurd formula of "no annexations and no indemnities," but tho publication of the secret documents has not put this matter ip any new light. Tho Allies have all along been frankly determined to exact indomnitioa by way of reparation, and they aim at conquest, not in tlie German sense, but in order to liberate oppressed nationalities and establish the only conditions in which peace can bo expected to endure. From the prominence given to tho proposals relating to Turkey it would appear that these are regarded by the Maximalists as_ a glaring example of "Imperialistic aims, but it is plain enough to all who aro not blinded by fanaticism that so long as tho Ottoman Empire- exists in its present form it will constitute a deadly menace to European peace, and that its dismemberment will be a priceless benefit to tho unhappy races living under its sway. The fact is now definitely established that the Ottoman Empire was committed to Germany's cause before the European war opened, not because its people had any interest to be served, but simply because they were helpless in tho hands of the unscrupulous schemers whose adhesion Germany had bought. This single fact is an ample vindication of the Allied aims as they relate to Turkey and to tho general field of tho war.