The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, APRIL 8. PERILS OF PEACE.

Taihape Daily Times, 8 April 1919, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, APRIL 8. PERILS OF PEACE.

(With wHieb is lucorporj&ttx? Tho faihape Poiet and WalEoarJ-ao NewS)-

Cabled reports of it'he progress Of peace deliberations continue to be of a doubtful character, but there is little cause to. believe that a complete agreement will bo delayed beyond the present month. Germany commenced peace considerations at the commencement of the war, and in this respect there is a remarkable difference in Hun methods and the slew, tedious, wrangling of

the Allies. Germans decided what they

would fight for before 'drawing the first sword, the Allies are permitting the whole of Europe ito drift into social chaos while they find a basis for peace that is satisfactory to all participants in the war; they ate quarrelling over the spoils while Bolshevism gathers in the spoils. Germany laid it down that victory for them was to result in a peace that would allow them to annex B'elgium and Normandy, and compel the Allies to pay an indemnity that would compensate Germany for its total war expenditure. The Allies, on its achievement of final victory, are in doubt whether any indemnity can be levied on the Germans that will even commence to compensate for ithe awful los's and (destruction they have suffered in stemmir.g German aggression. Complete victory was won in the first' half of November; it is well into April now, and only a guess can be made as to when peace will be proclaimed, and it is utterly impossible to get any approximate idea of what peace conditions are ito be, or what reparation Geomany will be compelled to make. It seems, from taking a collective view of all intelligence coming to hand that peace will be signed sometime during this month, and 'that the indemnity will be hopelessly inadequate, for restoring devastation in territory overrun, let alone the cost of the actual war to the individual Allies. We have the amazing spectacle of statesmen and soldiers discussing the division of spoils while those spoils are rapidly becoming nonexistent, and the enemy is developing a pertness in which ihe actually threatens to refuse tc sign any terms that are not satisfactory to him. With some authority, it is stated that the Peace Treaty will be completed to-morrow, and that, the British. Prime Minister will make an official statement to Parliament before he signs it. If that represents the true position we shall probably, know this coming week-erid, briefly, what the main conditions of the Treaty are. England, America, Italy, and France, referred to as 'the "Big Four," are said to have agreed upon all points, except responsibility for breaches of laws, but everything of a contentious nature will be disposed of in a few days, and the German plenipotentiaries will be invited to present themselves at Versailles within a fortnight. It seems apparent that the Peace Treaty and the League of Nations are to bo inseparable, and if hopes and anticipations in that connection do materialise to an effective and workable consummation there are grounds for believing that the very long period of negotiation and deliberation, resulting '.in increasing chaos, in conquered countries, will finally end in advantage to civilisation rather

thia.n otherwise. With the establish

ment of a League of Nations, all members of the League will be responsible for compelling peace on recalcitrants;; it will assure all socia>l, national, and international questions and differences being settled by arbitration and vote, .rather than by muiider, rape and rapine. If wars of the character of the one just passing away are to be replaced by a Parliament of the World in deliberation, then the war, awful and frightful ;thou£h. ifc hjas will have been productive of a great, j good that will reach far into future history. In fact, the unquestionable ■ victory won is a victory advantageous to posterity rather than for those who fought and won it. Not only will the Parliament of the World discourage and render unnecessary wars between individual nations, but peoples of individual nations will not be permitted to indulge in civil war and destruction that interferes with the peaceful conduct of affairs in neighbouring countries, such as Bolshevism in Russia, which is casting a dismal shadow not only over Europe, but over the .whole world at the present moment. Should the League of Nations' project fail, it will be mainly due to the political curse which is again working its deadliest to 'destroy what the Conference is seeking to attain. British newspapers did much towards lengthening and adding severity to the war; the i ,army and navy won the war in spits of all politics, and it seems that, although the "Big Four" refuse to take their* gospel and instructions rrom Lord Northcliffe; and his "Daily Mail," there are as good prospects of as glorious an ending to peace deliberations as there were to the Avar. One of the

main causes of political interference is that correspondents of certain newspapers are not taken into the confidence of the "Big Four'' on the most delicate question. It seems that there is tittle ckabt about the desire of Franco to permanently annex .the Saar Valley being the crucial point of difference. Lloyd George publicly states that Britain wants France to enjoy complete security, and is willing to fly tat the German .throat again if France is assailed, but lie does not say that he favours France annexing the Saar Valley, which all other nations' delegates appear to be distinctly opposed to. The Conference offers to neutralise the left bank of the Rhine, also the Saar Valley; Clemenceau wants a lengthy occupation of the Rhine and annexation of the Saar, but it is probable that France has all ready foregone the annexation prloi

posal, otherwise suck assurance of

complete peace terms being available to-morrow would be foundationless. French determination to accept nothing less than annexation does not harmonise with the authoritative statement that the Peace Treaty will be completed en Wednesday. 'Phis view is supported by a message from London, which states that 200,000 FraneoB'elgiarjS are to undertake the occupation of the left bank of the Rhine, under control of the League) of Nations. Giving occupation of the left bank of the Rhine Valley to Franco-Belgians should give France all the guarantee of security from German menace that can legitimately be asked for, and this occupation has probably satisfied Clomencean sufficiently fo ( r him to abandon his demands for annexation. Impatient though British peoples arc for the establishment 'of a permanent peace, we are inclined, to the view that in deciding between issues vital to permanent peace the Conference has chosen the right one, although the .route to it has been circuitous and. full of obstacles and pi)falls. By patience and firmness with France a League of Nations has been rendered possible: a state has been evolved ilia? will tend to lessen ar.y menace to society, and that will 'result ir. peaceful determination of all national and international disputes. If Russia, under Bolshevism, should .remain obstreperous, the League will apply irresistible suasion to banish the Red visions with which Russia : s afflicted. In fact. Britain's recognition of and co-operation with Koltchako's armies and Government, points cut the League's way for a peaceful Russia.