SURRENDER OR FIGHT ON

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 26, 25 October 1918, Page 4

SURRENDER OR FIGHT ON

The Gorman Chancellor (Prince Maximilian), after much shuffling and evasion, has now declared definitely that Germany will refuse to surrender unconditionally, and will continue to fight rather than accept a "peace by violence." . At last tho German Government has committed itself to something. Dit. Sow's Note, with its crafty ambiguities and cun-ningly-devised pitfalls, can be thrown into the waste-paper basket, for .Prince Maximilian has given the Allies two clear-cut facts to think about. The first is that Germany will not surrender, and the second is that she demands that the terms of peace shall bo settled by a frco discussion at a conference table by representatives of Germany and tho Allies. When he says that Germany will not accept a "peace by violence" he obviously means that she will not submit to a poace dictated by the Allies. This makes it quite evident that the purpose of Dr. Sou's Note was to entangle President Wilson in the meshes of a general argument. She is manoeuvring for a half-way decision—for a compromise; and that is just what the Allies have pledged themselves in the most solemn way to reject. ' She wants to bargain and barter, whereas the Allies stand solidly for a settlement in accordance with the requirements of impartial justice. The two'positions are separated by a deep , and wide gulf, and Prince Maximilian's latest utterance reveals the rottenness of the rubbishy planks, with which Dr. Sol'f made the pretence of constructing. a bridge. The German Chancellor says tho Allies fear the council chamber as the guilty fear tho court of justice. The obvious reply to this taunt is that tho Allies refuse to negotiate on equal terms with the bloodthirtsy gang who perpetrated the greatest crime in the world' &_ history. _ The place for these criminals is in ,the dock, not on the bench. Tho Germans are now whining for a ''peace of justice"; but what did they care about justice when they thought victory was in their grasp 1 _ Let Dr. Borchers answer. _ Speaking to his countrymen, he said: "Do not become sentimental; show a hard face' to your enemies, and say plainly to them that you need this and that, and therefore will keep that much of what you have taken from them, because you are the conquerors." About the same time Count Behr repudiated ''the unhappy democratic phrase about the right of selfdetermination of the peoples." He went on to say that Germany would arrive at peace only by her good Eword. "Where," he asked, "would we bo in this war if the heresies of parliamentarianism had established themselves earlier 1 It is only to our Kaiser that we owe it that our glorious army and our splendid fleet have enabled us not only to stand up to a world of enemies but to hit them on the head." These are the men who arc now asking for a "peace of justice" and prating about the virtues of tho parliamentary system. It would be madness to put any trust whatever in such barefaced hypocrites. It should be remembered that Prince Maximilian is tho puppet and mouthpiece of this truculent clique. They put him in office, and will put him out again

whenever they think lit, in spite of the mysterious change in the twinkling of an eye from autocracy to democracy. They have, failed to secure a German peace by open violence, and now they arc scheming to get it by crocodile tears and all the subtleties of a- sinister diplomacy. President Wilson's reply to Dr. Solf's Note shows that he sees through its shams and falsities. He insists that Germany must surrender, and until she does so the United States will continue to use force without stint. He has no confidence in the people who are so desperately anxious to keep up a conversation with him, and he knows that all their talk about the democratisation of the German Constitution is utter .humbug. He asserts uncomprom-! isingly that any armistice that the Allies' can assent to must make the renewal of hostilities by Germany impossible. This practically means unconditional surrender. It may result in a prolongation of the war, but the Allies would be guilty of the betrayal of humanity if they stopped the fight before the enemy was thoroughly beaten, for the only path to a, just and permanent peace lies through victory. President , Wilson is evidently determined not to allow the enemy to drive a wedge between America and the Powers associated with her! He- suggests that the Allies should act in concert with the object of ensuring that their interests shall ba fully safeguarded if any armistice should bs arranged. This is a good suggestion. It is of {he utmost importance that the unity of the Allies shall be maintained. The President's latest Note answers Prince Maximilian as well as Dr. Solf. It is now time that the correspondence ceased.