The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1927. THE WAR’S RESPONSIBILITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1927. THE WAR’S RESPONSIBILITY.

Germany is very loath naturally, to accept so much of the responsibility for the Great War as the world is prepared to apportion to the nation. Germany. therefore seeks to deny the allegations, or to modify them to the Irest of her ability. “The best” is often all too poor. One example of this failure was manifested in the cable news last week, wherein the substance of a report was published in' B?rlip,

‘•toning down,” as it were, the responsibility for several of the direct (.-barges levelled against Germany by the world at large. Seven years ago a committee was set tip by the German Reichstag to impure into Germany's conduct of the war. That committee lias now issued its report, ami the chief elfeet. lemarks a contemporary, will he to confirm the conviction long since reached by the rest of the world that what is ehielly the matter with the Germans is that they have no sense of humour. The report exonerates Germany on almost every count in the indictment. Either the Germans were guiltless, or if they did anything wrong the enemy did it first, and so they were completely ,instilled. In view of these things we do not suppose, says the Exchange, that the world will lie inclined to take this report very seriously. I’n restrict ed .submarine warfare— including, of course, flit' practice of sinking unarmed shins with their crews and passengers, •'‘without Raving a trace behind’’—is justified as a reprisal against ‘'illegal blockade”- that is, Britain's legit unite efforts to prevent the transmission of contraband to enemy ports. The ‘‘bombing of 11011inilltary towns by the French'’ carries ll' hack to the aliening of the war ami the clii'dish German lid ions, pilloried for all time in that striking monograph on German dip! iinatie and propagandist methods, “The Lie." “Germany's gas warfare.” we are told, was "in strict accordance with the international law’’; presumably .because in precise condemnation of such an unthinkable and monstrous crime had been formulated before the war; while the statement that France ‘employed illegal gases” first has keen sh ran repeatedly to he a crude and llagraiif falsehood. Eerhaps the gem of the whole collection, however, is the finding that “the armed resistance made by the people of Belgium contravened the Hague Convention.” And this from the people who were pledged not only to respect, hut to defend, the neutrality of Belgium, and committed untold atrocities there, hut had specifically refused to accept the decisions of the Hague Conferences or to e.i-opernle with the other nations at The Hague to obviate war altogether ! The whole story of denial is a. very poor attempt at exoneration, and Germany would he well advised to let the pasf bury itself unsung, and proceed to make good he- j fore all the world. That would he the better course to justify the now nationhood, and to warrant the international acceptance of Germany as a co-opera-tive partner in the world’s progress. There is no occasion to keep up the fend of the world war. if Germany on her part will strive to do the right thing now and so win hack the confidence of the other nations. That is the safer way to wine out memories of the past.