Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1918 THE HONOR OF A NATION'”

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1918 THE HONOR OF A NATION'”

Gkumany is asking for a just peace, a peace that will not be irreconcilable with the honour of the German people! i What is the honour of Germany ? When i the British Ambassador was leaving j Berlin on the declaration of war, Herr | von Bethmaiin Holwegg, the German 1 Chancellor, said: “Just for a word—neutrality, a word which in war time had so often been disregarded—just for a scrap of paper, Great Britain was going to make war on a kindred nation.” German honour and the estimation of what honour is, therefore, very different from the British standard. Honour, made in Germany, is a shoddy tiling of pretence, to be used only when it suits. Germany is now crying for peace and asks for conditions which will not be “irreeonciliable with German peoples’ honour.” Well, let it be so; but measure well the “honour” of the German people, and by their ideas of “honour,” so mete out to them the fullest measure of their reward. Side by side, in yesterday’s issue, with this appeal for a peace with German honour, there were the war correspondents’ accounts of the horrific revelations make by the emancipated peoples of the French and Flemish cities and villages. There we learn what German honour is, and what it stands for. They respect not life nor property, the sanctity of the home, the innocence and virtue of women. They had no bowels of compassion for the unfortunates who fell into their hands when they, the Germans, tore up “the scrap of paper” j which Britain hold to be dearer than lite. Every indignity they could heap upon harmless civilians they have been guilty of. These “honourable” people took toll out of the lives of the innocent, peaceful inhabitants about, Lille, because away in 'the Eastern Mediterranean a French warship bombarded tile heathen Turk in Aloxandretta. Brutftl butchery was flic “honourable” practice of these inhuman monsters when deaing with frail women and old men. "What mercy could ho given to such as they, Ynow I What they thought “honourable” punish in nut for their victims should be good enough for the archenemy who perpetrated these vile acts and heart-rending deeds. These disclosures, it must be remembered do not cover a day’s madness, hut four long years of happenings to a prisojicrcd pope] under the iron heel of a ruthless enemy. It is a story to awaken the world to a. greater degree than ever of thankfulness that it is about to be delivered once and for all from the grasp of such a nation. Above all, it should awaken the Allied Council to their responshilities to their nations and peoples to take toll for all the great horrors put upon their countries. Far removed from the seat of war, it is difficult to grasp what the situation is, but Belgian, Frenchman, Britisher and American who are there to see the things with their own eyes, and hear with their own ears, (he dreadful stories of heaped up crimes ami inhumanities—they can comprehend it all and are the best advisers of the penalties to exact and the degree of consideration to he given to Germany’s “honour.” Naturally the enemy will be out to seek the best terms obtainable. The best terms are indicated already as “unconditional surrender.” When Germany has laid down her arms and dropped her military bearing, the Allies will have secured the position for the world and the fruits of the victory will bo for mankind. In the field of real honour Germany must begin again to win her reputation. As a nation she will need to he born again, with entirely revised ideas of what honour is, and how it is to he respected and revered.