The Dominion MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1919. THE NEED FOR UNITY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 176, 21 April 1919, Page 4

The Dominion MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1919. THE NEED FOR UNITY

In the speech he delivered in the House of Commons last week MR. I Lloyd George threw not a little light upon tho problems of peace ' and the dangers still facing _ the world. This is more especially true of tho concluding passages of tho speech which aye reported today. As a whole, what he had to say brightens the outlook. He in no way minimised the perils and difficulties still confronting the Allied nations, but on the other hand he was able to give _an emphatic and unqualified denial to a number of alarmist reports that have lately gained currency. Convincing proof. of Allied unity is afforded in his statement that, "Upon all questions that came before us (the Peace Conference) we came to unanimous conclusions. The British Prime Minister disposes not less thoroughly of reports that have recently been transmitted in regard to extensive military preparations in Germany with a view to resisting the imposition of the Allied terms. Under the armistice conditions 'Germany is not only at the mercy of the Allies from the military standpoint, but is dependent upon them for essential supplies of food and raw material. Stories : that she meditated a renewal of hostilities were thus in any case unconvincing, and Mr. Lloyd George has cleared up any lingering doubts on the subject. In the light of all available information it is possible to accept unreservedly his final summing up of the situation:

The danger was not that there might be a recrudescence in Germany—because Germany could only with difficulty Taise 80,000 armed men to preserve order—the danger was that the world was going to pieces, and the gaunt spectre of hunger was stalking through the land.

The detailed conditions of peace to be .imposed on Germany are meantime withheld', with apparent justification, but Mr. Lloyd George made one highly important revelation. Ho said that under the terms agreed upon the military force at Germany s disposal would be "only just adequate to police her cities and protect her commerce." Weight is thus given' to his declaration in general terms that one of the results of the impending peace will be to abolish the menace of armaments. Read in conjunction with his assurance regarding the _ unanimity of' the Conference decisions this must be taken to mean that much more satisfactory progress has been made during the'last, few weeks than cablegrams from day to day indicated. At the same time it is manifest that the.need for a loyal union of effort on the part of the Allies as individual nations and as a group of nations is as_ imperative now as at the most _ critical stage of _ the war. Standing solidly and unitedly together the Allies are undoubtedly in a position not only to bear down whatever objections Germany may raise to the acceptance of just conditions of peace, but to grapple hopefully, at least on the limited lines sketched by Mb," Lloyd George, with the perplexing problem of Bussia, and in a rather more purposeful , way with numerous other problems 'of re-establish-ment and pacification which await solution in and beyond' Europe. The whole question is whether the Allied nations are equal to the disciplined effort that is still demanded, ' in other word's whether they are worthy of the millions who have died or suffered on their behalf since August, 1914. Mr. Lloyd George was not resorting to extravagance or pointing to remote possibilities when he spoke of the danger that the world might go to pieces. Thc_ danger is _ imminent and threatening, and will hardly be overcome unless the Allies maintain to the end the same concentration of effort and purpose as enabled them to bring Germany to "defeat.

At this crisis in the history of the world thore is, so clear and unmistakable a call for constancy and steady resolution on the part of tho .Allied nations that any manifestation of an opposite spirit stands obviously sell-condemned. It is impossible to regard in any other light the lawless disorders that have lately occurred in Egypt and InI dia ,or the attempts made by the South African Nationalists and by the Sinn, Fciners in Ireland to promote a movement of separation from tho Empire. Even if these various agitations were better justified than they are ordinary honesty of purpose would teach their authors that this is a time to sink sectional differences in the interests, not merely of the Empire, but of all humanity. Unhappily what evidence is available suggests that some at least of the attempts thatj are being made at this critical moment to destroy Imperial unity are of serious importance. A Press Bureau communication speaks of widespread disorders in India and of open rebellion in some parts of the North-West Provinces. It is the testimony of competent authorities that the reforms now projected under which a measure of selfgovernment is conferred upon the diverse native races of India have gone far to satisfy the sounder and more moderate elements, but that there is an irreconcilable section, small, but influential, with which it is impossible to parley. The events now reported suggest, that this opinion is only too well founded. It is plain enough that the fanatics who have stirred up rebellion in India and Egypt and those who are endeavouring to do as much in other parts of the Empire are in each case injuring the cause they pretend to serve as well as doing all that they can to hamper and cripple the British effort at the Peace Conference. Britain has given all possible proof of an 'honest desire to forward progressive reforms both in India and Egypt. The Dutch inhabitants of South Africa enjoy the same unfettered freedom as their British fellowcitizens and those of all other selfgoverning dominions of the Empire. It is not t'he fault of the British Parliament that Home Rule for Ireland,is still an aspiration. The ruling tendency of British Imperial policy is admirably exemplified in the fact that a native Indian (Sir S. P. Sinha) is to-day Under-Secretary of State for India, and that a South African Boer. General Smuts, is a flistinguished member of the British Peace Delegation. In considering the attempts, that are being made to de- . stroy Imperial unity it is hardly

necessary, however, to appeal to these familiar facts. The essential consideration which must determine policy and action is that the whole future of the world depends upon the victory of the forces of order over those of disorder. On all grounds and at all costs such attempts must be firmly repressed. In most cases such upheavals as have occurred in India and elsewhere are clearly distinguished from the assertion of legitimate grievances, but where such grievances exist the lime to raise and have them redressed will come only when the foundations of world peace have been securely laid.