The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1918. GERMAN PEACE STATEMENTS

Taihape Daily Times, 29 January 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1918. GERMAN PEACE STATEMENTS

(With which is incorporated The Taj hape Post and Walmarlno Nows)

In placing President Wilson’s statement of war aims besided the somewhat rambling, incoherent reply made thereto by the German Chancellor one cannot help discovering the respective divergent states of mind prompting them. Lloyd George and Mr Wilson, without collusion or collaboration stated war aims that are almost identical in nature, ■while the spokesmen of Germany and Austria differ in their war aims, or peace conditions, almost as much as do Germany and America. Hcrtling’s speech was drafted and decided upon by a Crown Council, presided over by the Kaiser, and at which Hindenburg and Ludendofff were present. It was lengthy, but much the greater part was mere words to somewhat tone down, to take the sting out of that which the Kaiser wanted to say, which is, “Until the Allies unconditionally concedes the Central Powers’ territorial integrity I 'shall reject all proposals to remove the Belgian question from joint general negotiations. Northern Prance is a paw r n in Germany’s hands. Germany does not wish< violent annexation; the conditions of evacuation must be arranged between Prance and Germany; there ; ean be no talk of ceding AlsaceLorraine.'’’ The Austrian Premier, Count Czernin said, ( f Austria does not demand, either territory or Indemnity from .Russian;Poland .'shall decide its own fate. This question must not delay peace a single day.’’ The remainder of what Count Czernin stated is regarded as an academic feeler by the American press. At the Brest-Litovsk Conference, German delegates in stone-cold words told the Russians that Germany would permanently occupy territories which Czernin says Austria has no intention of claiming. Poland must decide her own fate; this question must not delay peace a single day. In the same breath he states that “Austria will support Germany and Turkey to the utmost. ” Germany openly avows the annexation of Russian territory, Austria just as frankly disavows any desire for either annexation or indemnity. If Czernin has spoken for Austria first and for Germany second, there can be little doubt that the Kaiser cannot rely upon Austria in anything resembling conquest, or annexation, which Austria wdll not allow to defer peace by even a single day. There is little doubt about Austria w-anting peace at almost any price and from the indirect, vacillating nature of the greater part of von Hcrtling’s speech, one is forced into regarding it as in no way convincing it lacks the ring of conviction of power behind it; it leaves a vacuum in the understanding that will not be filled, therefore it is not likely to carry any weight with either of the Allies. To put it plainly, after reading what the Kaiser, Hindenburg, and Ludendorff put into the mouth of Hcrtling, one feels the attempted humbug. A lot of ground has been covered in the hope that an inch may bo held. British newspapers have reached the only conclusion that seems possible and that is that the speech is a display of bombast and arrogance. Hcrtling clearly indicates that Germany’s great desire is to negotiate with the Allies separately, but she may be .quite sure that the next move towards peace, other than with shot and shell, will have to come in a great °bmb dowm from Germany’s pinnacle °f insolence and insincerity. Czernin’s and Hcrtling’s speeches widely differ but there are unmistakcable evidences as British newspapers say, they are both engaged in a gigantic game

of pool. The Allied statement of war aims carried w r ith it the imprint and conviction of sincerity. There was no mistaking the minimum the Allies were fighting for, can the same be said for. the incoherent hotch-potch put together by the Kaiser, Hindenburg and Czernin? Germany has failed to take the opportunity offered; her statesmen were importunate in their desire to know the Allied war aims, almost demanding them, certainly to the extent of throwing on the Allies the responsibility for the continuance of war. It was all mere pretence for they knew quite well what the irreducible minimum of Britain and America was, and now;, as was expected, they are dissembling and bluffing, Germany sitting close while Czernin is sent out on a fishing expedition. Germany has become notorious for her fatal errors of judgment, and this last is not likely to be among the least fatal. There will be no further negotiations by the Allies; America adheres absolutely to President Wilson’s war aims. America fully realises that the military caste still controls German diplomacy; America also realises that the military caste’s arrogant claims are intended to deceive the world regarding Germany ’s real weakness. America knows that the military strength of Germany bears no comparison to that of the Allies. While Germany has had to call to the colours her 1920 reserves, boys of seventeen, the British Minister for National Service announces emphatically, in the House of Commons that "the most anxious problem of the moment is not men for the army, but for production, tonnage, transport, agriculture, and the distribution of food.” Britain has ample fighting men, but more are wanted to provide for the needs, if not the comfort, of civilians and soldiers. Britain is confident that her army in the field is equal to all, eventualities. War aims -were stated to enable Germany to choose between peace and a further fatal depletion of her man-power. Her War Lords have adopted a course of insolent blustering humbug, and the war will have to be depended upon to fully enlighten the German people as to the true position. It is reported that the Vatican discovered some virtue in Czernin’s statement that may operate’ towards peace, but it is waste of words to talk of peace on any'other basis than that of the Wilsbn-Lloyd George war aims. Meanwhile riot and reVblutidn is rampant in Austria, and riot and mutiny in Germany. Speakers at the Vienna meetings’ proclaimed that the Strikes were only a prolirilinary skirmish of what was following* Rigid censorship is preventing current happenings being reported. If; the report of Vatican views convoy'[truth, it may mean that the Vatican realises that Austria simply must have -peace regardless of ■what Germany. - does or -wishes.- There can v be no-question about .peace being the one desire of the Vatican, and that alone would be likely- to materially influence a separate peace with-Aus-tria being concluded.