The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1916. WHY GERMANY SOUGHT WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 31 July 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

MONDAY, JULY 31, 1916. WHY GERMANY SOUGHT WAR.

(With which is incorporated The Tal .bape Post and Waimarino New®.)

11l the last quarterly issue of “The Round Table” is an artigle that every thinking man and woman should read. If many of u s were asked what the nations of the world were fighting for we should find it difficult to give conclusively convincing reasons, and it is just on this point a writer in “The Round Table” comes to our assistance. The article is entitled “The Principle of Peace,” and the subject is dealt with so exhaustively and with such consummate knowledge that it is doubt ful whether anything has yet been ■written so helpful in understanding the causes of Avar, or that is so satisfying. That this war is one for principle it leaves no doubt, and it makes it quite clear that it is the principle of peace that Prussianism desires that was the real, the only factor in Germany’s determination for war. The article under notice is written under five sub-headings, one of which sets out the principle of a commonwealth such as that of the British Empire, another defines Prussianism and the Racial State; a third convincingly shows that the ideals of the free commcmvcalth on the one side, and the ideals of the self-regarding Nation»ist State on the other lie at the bottom of the conflict that is now raging in Europe. In the final summary on the principle of the commonwealth the writer states, “Hence the believer in the principles of the commonwealtn looks to the creation of a true reign of law, embracing the wdiole earth and governing the conduct of human communities towards one another as the true read of advance. When a majority of peoples have organised themselves as commonwealths, recognising the duty of obeying the law of nations which ensures justice and liberty to all, the reason for war will disappear, and the unity of man through the merging of all communities of the earth into one commonwealth, governed by one law r , will not he delayed.” Whereas under Prussianism the State imposes its will upon its neighbours when interests conflict. As Treitschke states: “The constitution of international and permanent courts of arbitration is incompatible with the very nature of the State. Only in a question of secondary or tertiary importance would it be possible to obey the ruling of such a court. For vital questions there exists no impartial foreign

power and to the end of history arms will give the final decision. Herein lies the sacrednes.s of war.” This fully explains why sacred treaties are regarded as nothing more than scraps or paper. Prussianism, by the law of its own being, cannot trust to reason ana* justice and goodwill to settle international problems. It does not trust anything but obedience to authority, backed by irresistible force, to keep its own citizens in order. It trusts to nothing but military predominance to secure its rights or to give peace and order in the outside world. When Prussia says she is fighting for peace, she is speaking the truth. She is fighting for the only kind of peace which she understands —the peace which follows universal submission to the commands of authority, the universal des- - truction of liberty among men.” The crowning achievement of mankind under the Prussian genius is the development of the super-State; irrest- | ible by virtue of it s physical strengtn, j the last word in the organisation or manhood. The principle of the life of | such a State cannot be responsibility, - but compliance, not liberty, but obedience under pain of terrific penalties, to those Avho inherit or seize control of the governmental machine. The ultimate goal of Prussian philosophy is the establishment of an empire over the minds and bodies of all men. After bloody victories the world will be healed by being Germanised. Then only will the world have unity and peace for all mankind will be organised in one vast Empire.” Prussianism, in truth is nothing but the secular figure of tyranny in a new guise. The essence of tyranny is the control of conscience, The essence or slavery is the surrender of conscience, and slavery Is slavery, whether it is voluntary or imposed, whether it be accompanied by the sufferings of the plantations and galleys, or the panoply and heroism of Avar,” In such a short notice as this must necessarily be it is quite impossible to do justice to the writer in “The Round Table.” What we have written is more to induce our readers to study the views so ably stated in that publication, because we know that by so doing a clearer and more satisfying aspect of the great struggle and its causes will result. Germany wants a peace in which Prussia is so strong that not an individual in the worlji dare , rebel for fear of extermination; .The Commonweath is fighting against this in favour of a peace based on liberty and the right for all peoples -to work- .out their own destiny. no peace with liberty is possible till Prussianism is completely crushed