The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1919. THE PEACE OF 1919

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10275, 9 May 1919, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1919. THE PEACE OF 1919

Tire Peace of 1919 will probably be thd most important in the 'history of the world, as the instrument which embodies its terms represents the most complicated and difficult task of peacemaking that ever taxed the powers of :statesmen!, v The opportunity for l’the:construction of this instrument-reame* unexpectedly . through the collapse of the Central- Powers in the war, and that collapse threatened to face thb peacemakers with the impossible. T’-ie threat came somewhat too hear a success for a world in panic. The forces of Anarchy, regarding the opportunity of the Central collapse as theirs, set to work to wrest it from the hands of .tjio victorious Powers. For set'etgt 'months they tried to extend the chaos, of broken Russia to the huge remnants of the Central Empires. They did not succeed, but they added nuuAi to the difficulties of the peacemakers. These latter stuck to their task with resolution and skill, and the determination to strive for the betterment of the world. As'they approached the end of th'bir’work ! the attempts to extend‘the Russian anarchy failed, and the end has come in sight for the anarchy of Russia. Out of itie five months of difficulty thus enhanced the Peace Treaty has finally emerged, and is in the hands of the German representatives.

Three things are evident at the first glance. - ■ The League of Nations ■ re the established guardian of peace; the international solidarity of Labour J s attempted; national, equality is established by the inclusion of Japan among the five first-class Powers, on the one part, treating with Germany on the other part. The first is a new departure, substituting open honesty, reason and justice m the broadest acceptance of the term, for the Hidden horrors of the old diplomacy. The second gives Labour the advantage of the Human Brotherhood, the ignoring of which is the fruitful source of unfair competition among nations; the third makes an end of the Astatic danger to the peace of the world. These aro great achievements. Opinions may differ about .details. The hopes they represent certainly require experience and time for their realisation. But the essence is that this trial is to bo given them, in place of the endless discussion, which, revolving round a number of centres of varying character, ranged from the purely academic to the partially criminal. They have,, a straight coutse headed for an objective that appeals to the best in human nature. ; We can leave them with satisfaction to the experience and the time all , men of. goodwill hope will be accorded to them. The Treaty offers peace on earth to men of goodwill. , Goodwill has carried the Treaty to the verge of signature. Let us hope the same goodwill may carry the observance of tho Treaty to the end of Time. The Treaty, it must be borne in mind, is with Germany; That, of course, for Germany is the only member of the Central Alliance left which can make a treaty. Tho others have gone to pieces. It was in.possible to give any but the vaguest form to them m the time at disposal for settlement. The peacemakers wisely determined to deal with Germany first, fixing form, boundaries, and conditions, and assessing the aggregates and details of reparation. This done,'the others are left to ■ bo dealt -with later by tho League of Nations out of the material roughly hewn into shape by the Treaty; The lines of the settlement are obvious enough. Than ace to be

strong buffer States between Western aggression and Eastern anarchy, and newly-freed nationalities are. tu bo helped to work out their salvation. Than this division of the work there was no possible way out. It has been firmly taken, and the opportunity has been seized for definitely settling the races of tno late Germanic Colonial Empire nnder a mandatory system controlled Jby the League of Nations. Germany’s reparations are apparently to reach five thousand millions, and they include the surrender and trial of the ex-Kaiser. The latter, of course, is a matter in which the Treaty Powers can only ask, the control of it lying in the hands of Holland. There are other punishments provided for, which are well within the control of the Treaty Powers, and in their ease justice will be done. That principle has been vindicated. The .3000 millions represent tile amount assessed by the five great Powers as within the capacity of Germany to pay. The amount they have declared beyond .that was according to recent reports 8000 millions. The Treaty has reduced the damages by 3000 millions. The Treaty seeks justice and has hot forgotten a certain proportion of mercy.