THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 1919. SIGNING OF PEACE.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 25 June 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 1919. SIGNING OF PEACE.

According to an official wireless message received bv the Australian Commonwealth Prime Minister the peace treaty has been signed, and although the New Zealand Government has as vet not officially confirmed this message. there is little doubt that it isauthentic, and that peace has at last been signed by Germany. The German Government having decided by a majority of to sign the Treaty, it followed as a matter of course that that step would be taken, but the. Germans have proved so untrustworthy and unreliable that their word could not be depended upon, and we were prepared for further twisting and squirming it ' that were possible-before the beaten foe accepted the inevitable. Eight through the whole of this war Germany , has given frequent proofs of her per- ’ tidv—her complete inability of ‘•p i *>'- I ing the game.” Precedents have been j thrust aside, agreements to the Gcr- : man mind, were only scraps o j j.npor” to be broken at will when in--1 convenient.- flic recognised usages ol‘ j ~v :ir have been east to the four winds I ~f heaven, chivalry has. been totally ! disregarded . bv the arrogant and bypo- | critical advocates of ‘-Kuitur with 1 a capital X—until ‘heir name has be- • conic a byword that -.'ill g'» down to ! all the ages as a reproach. Germany’s i last act in the war, that of scuttling ! her navy, was in keeping with her bcj haviour* all through the chapter—one * long record of broken promises and disj honourable actions. She had given her word of honour not to attempt to do- { j,rev her warships, but deliberately 1 plotted with infinite care to sink every s shin in her navy, in order to belittle the 1 Allies and detract from their complete 1 victory. Thus she ended as she began , the war. with unclean hands and bari dene-1 conscience, and her defiant, unrepentant ami sullen attitude will show [ clearly the kind of foe wo have been | fighting all along. The greatest war in I all history has now come to an end in i t he unparalleled defeat of a mighty Power that had prepared for war and sacrificed everything in her lust for power. The overwhelming victory of the Allies is a veritable triumph for right over wrong, and has been fittingly referred to by the Hon. J. A. Hatian as the “crowning vindication of human liberty.”’