The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1915. PEACE PROPOSALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 262, 15 April 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1915. PEACE PROPOSALS.

Although the war can hardly be said to have yet entered its effective stag's so far as the operations of the Allies are concerned, there is no lack of ideas as to what the terms of peace should be. The question has already been the subject of many pronouncements emanating from various sources, and discussed from widely diverging points of view, some of which are academic.':!, - while others are polemical or one-sid:d, and not a few are quixotic or preposterous. The fact is that sentiment instead of policy has played a great oa.-t in these remarkable effusions except in such a case as that recently cabl'-d from London wherein New York reports that Germany has communicated to tl e American Government that she is willing to discuss terms of peace—the terms outlined being such as that P,ower could only hope to obtain if she were victorious or at least ,had obtained a "draw." It must be remembered that upon what terms of peace the present war concludes will depend the whole of our future, and that of our children in - Christendom for many generations. Upon those terms will depend the fortunes of all important things which are at the root of all Kuropeau dissensions. It is very well to speak in the abstract or in vague terms, of "honorable and permanent peace proposals," but tho duty of the Allies is plain and admits of no compromises or half measures. In dealing with the Gorman military cancer (here is but one course to adopt. It . must be cut cut ruot and branch, so that no vestige remains for re-growlh. One of the most forceful and thoughtful contributions to this discussion of peace terms has just been made by Yol'essor Dickie, in a strong address to his class at Knox College, Dmied'n. Tie points out that Christianity is on U3 trial, and that the law of Christ is ju>l. as binding on nations as on individual;.. As considerable interest attaches to the attitude of President -Wilson in relation to peace proposals (relative to which l.c seems indisposed (o commit himself) it is worthy of note that in one respect he is on all fours with the Kaiser, fori ; they both make their national desires, I ' interests, and ambitions the supreme ■ i

standard of public righteousness, and both are surprised at not being taken at their own value. Professor Dickie holds that the war was due to the "swelled head" of the German peoplc : especially the Prussians, being one 'j.income of the enormous growth of :.!.:•■- man wealth and power since the establishment of the Gorman Empire. Ccr- , tainly, the result of the Franco-German war was not only the means of creating '• that Empire, but it put Germany on her feet financially and laid the foundations , of that arrogant policy the effect of s which we see to-day, and led to that -in- ■ hcront incapacity of the Germans to measure themselves alongside other.*. r For twenty years Germany has delibcr--1 ately and unscrupulously been making 3 plans for the overthrow of Britain, anil this war is the first step. "She has gone on so long thinking we were asleep that it seems an act of treachery for us to awake, "remarks the distinguished Professor. "In oensidering any proposals relative to conditions of peace it is necessary to bear in mind that we have duties to our allies, duties to our Empire, to our children and our children's children, duties to those risking their lives for our sakes, duties to the multitude of slain, who have given their lives as true patriots worthy of all honor for fighting f a monster with the object of crushing its power to prey upon humanity, so that such a sacrifice may never again be - necessary. There will be no question of reprisals—Britain does not adopt a barbaric policy of that nature—but justice must be done, especially to the brave Belgian people, their devastated towns and country, and some measure of recompense exacted for their terrible sufferings and losses. Britain is not at #) all likely to repay Germany in her own c- coin by imposing such conditions as } Germany would have made had she been victorious, but that will not prever,!. adequate penalties being fixed. Wee* it otherwise there is no question that Germany would construe every concession as being tho outcome of-fear, and a proof that Britain was the weak and decadent nation that the Germans haie been taught to believe, and it would inevitably lead to immediate, steps being taken by Germany to rehabilitate her r forces for another and more vicious tiid' for dominance. Knowing what we eV 1 of her unscrupulous methods, her cir.- | ning and insatiable ambition, it is smt perative that the terms of peace must . as far as possible be such as will make - Germany utterly incapable of mischief for at least two centuries." Professor , Dickie had something 'to say as to <y>v duty as Christians—a duty which he considers is much iuor«, complicated than - to take the Germans to our bosoms as brothers, as some of the poace-at-any-prico advocates would willingly consent to. We have to save the world from German domination, and this can Jnly he accomplished by a crushing defeat and the imposition of such terms of peace as will practically preclude Gumany from being a menace to any nation, however small. At present, in her _ arrogance and pride, she considers her ; destiny is to be the master of the vmi- ; verse, and her mission to ride rough-she-? J over the people of the earth. It will, j says the Professor, be the greatest calamity that has e'er befallen Europe if . Germany is not absolutely crushed and i humiliated till on her bended knees she begs abjectly for mercy. Nothing loss will cure her mad infatuation and ensure a lasting peace. "Generations yet unborn will call us accursed if we neglect our present opportunity of riddhi" the . world of this incubus of diabolical ■ tyranny." There is a time for generosity , and mercy, but not in connection with the task that has to be performed at the conclusion of the war. Tho two cardinal principles of the British constitution—justice and freedom—demand . the excision of all sentiment in dealing with Germany. We may pity her people and. admire their bravery, but we must end once and for all the devilry that emanates from her militarism and the - menace caused by her boundless ambition.