AUSTRIA AND PEACE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1678, 24 February 1917, Page 1

AUSTRIA AND PEACE.

The difference existing between Germany and Austria-Hungary <>n the question of ultimate* peace terms are many and serious, Germany went to war, as her statesmen and professors have told us, in order “to gel a place in the sun." This means domination, colonies —not only the old ones, but new one's as well — freedom anel aelvantage.'s in trade, and markets for her industrial products all ove*r the* worlel. I’hese are (he very things the. l Entente Powers re 1 fuse (e> conce'de 1 . On the 1 either, says the' Fmda I’esth correspondemi of the' Morning Post, the Austrians and Hungarians repudiate any claim to territory or any aim at aggrandisement ; they have* even offereai part of their eiwn territory for tlie- sake of peae-e, and will certainly offer it again, 'the aims of the Iwei e'ountries being thus fundamentally different, their peae-e, conditions are ime-essarily irm-oncil-able, and the difficulties in the way of aeljustmemt are insurmountable. A separate peace, or even a tendency towards it in Austria-. Hungary would spell disaster both lor Aus-tria-Hungary and Germany. Just as seriems dissensions among the Entente Powers would be detrimental to the latter. Vet the subject is neit unwelcenne te) the l peoples of the Monarchy, especially in view of the fact that by supporting German war aims and ambitions the Monarchy will have to face another considerable period of war, involving ruin and ultimate collapse. It follows (hat the only possible course open to the Austrians and Hungarians is |o compel Germany to conclude a joint peace such as would be acceptable to their enemies. It is generally recognised that the Emperor Charles will take the matter in hand and try to re-establish peace. There is little doubt that he will use iii.s influence with Germany in as friendly a way as possible to carry out his intentions, and that if this influence should fail hint he will use other kinds of pressure to bring Germanv to her senses.