GERMANS SEEK PEACE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 226, 16 June 1915, Page 3

GERMANS SEEK PEACE.

ATTEMPT TO ISOLATE BRITAIN. FRANCE REFUSES THE BRIBE. (By WILL IRWIN.) The great European war is in midChannel. The situation, as I take it, resembles roughly the situation in our Civil War, when Lincoln, during 18G3 (wasn’t it?) held his conference with the leaders of the South. There is no moral doubt that Germany has been looking for terms. Everything indicates that, Circumstantial evidence as well as “inside information.” Of course, these overtures have not been made directly or evn officially. Possibly the neutral Powers have not been consulted. It is more likely that two strange gentlemen have just happened to register at a hotel in Switzerland or Italy, and have just happened to meet at dinner in a private room to discuss the future of the war —purely theoretically, of course. Whatever terms Germany has offered have undoubtedly been unsatisfactory to the Allies as a whole. So far as the general alliance is concerned, the war will probably go on. But there has been a special effort to tempt France and Russia into deserting the aliirjice. ft | s tha’t Flranoe could quit the war now at great advantage—an increase of territory, probably the security of Belgium, possibly some kind of indemnity. Germany wants to free herself to attack that enemy which is frankly the object of all popular German hate and all official German ambitions —England. FRANCE’S DECISION HEROIC. Every one who has observed France during this war has been astonished by five fortitude of the French —a fortitude hardly yexpected in a people so highly peaceful. * She has never been so strong as in her apparent answer to German overtures. The French hav e always maintained that they entered this war not so much for the old, wistful dream of winning back the lost Aisace as for the permanent security of France. If she stops now, on a minor advantage, she will have the work to to over again in the next generaition—ctr so felfp Bu,t ho temptation is great and special. She did not want war in the beginning, and she does not want war now. The men who must decide for Prance hav c their sons out there on the line. If they have not had other sons killed they know what- has happened to th e sons of their neighbours. Here is a chance to gain temporary advantage for France —and to save the lives of those sons, I cannot, imagine a stronger bribe being offered to any man. Yet they seem to have shut their eyes and ears, these leadrs of France, and to have mad e the heroic decision. INVASION OF BRITAIN. What would happen should France "nd R’.issia desert forms beautiful maerial for speculation. So far as the 'sland of Britain is concerned, she eon Id doubtless whistle at the Germans. So long as that, navy holds, England cannot be invaded from Germany direct. If, by miracle pr-bv Die doubtful fortunes of a naval battle. ; the navy should fall to hold, England ;

would b e whipped, whether or no France or Russia stood firm; making j the paper blockade a real blockade would starve her out. All of which is unlikely. England’s navy, even allowing for losses, is far stronger than, whne the war begun; and her efficiency in handling the submarine blockade, if nothing else, shows that the mariners of England have not lost their old technique. NO HOPE OF SUCCESS. Given however, that the Germans' could slip a landing expedition past the British navy their chance of success looks very small. The censor would probably not even permit a guess at the number of troops at present in the British army. But that army is large enough to swallow up any landing expedition for which Germany could find transport. The invasion of a ■country, after all, is nearly as difficult as in old times. It is more difficult, in fact. Napoleon planned to land his troops on the fine stretch of beach below Edinburgh. Such a landing could not b e made to-day. With deep draft vessels and heavy artillery, one needs a harbour and docks. And to get a harbour one needs naval control. The question of Britain and this war always gets back to the navy. DESIGNS ON BRITISH COLONIES. Of course, Germany may have designs not on England herself—spite of all the talk in the German newspapers —but on the British colonies. As for Canada, Australia, and South Africa, the hope seems even more vain than the hope of a direct invasion. Thusre remain Suez, Egypt, and th e whole British “sphere of Influence” in the Near East. It is possible that Germany might so juggle things, in the event of a separate peace with France and Russia, as to get a land passage toward Suez and Egypt. Possible, not likely, as are all these speculations. WILL IT BE STALEMATE? It comes down to this: There is a thin thread of hope that all nations will soon adopt the stalemate theory concerning the end of this war and make peace before Europe is any further devastated. It is a very thin thread of hope. It is infinitely more likely that, the struggle will go on with the present line-up. Should the Allies, within the next two months, gain one or two considerable victories, there is a better chance. It take it that no single victory in this war of grubbing and digging will ever be decisive. But such victory may convince Germany that her causp is ultimately hopeless, and the losses which victory means nowadays may give the Allies pause before they sacrifice any more fine, fall fellows.