PEACE TALK.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 May 1916, Page 5

PEACE TALK.

A remarkable debate,

STATEMENT BY SIR E. GREY.

GERMAN LIES EXPOSED.

Received May 25, 7.40 p.m.

.. _ London, May 2i. In the House of Commons there was B remarkable debate upon the credit vote bf three hundred millions, i Mr Ponsonby declared that the House w&3 entitled, to discuss the diplomatic situation, and to consider whether the differences between the Allies and the enemy were sufficiently great and unbndgeable to justify tie continuance of gigantic sacrifice. A deadlock had f ttftted for some time, and Jie doubted- ' Whether the valor of the soldiers would pfflVe the deciding factor. The side inventing the most diabolical machine was moßt likely to win, in ihis opinion, in modern warfare. He hoped that statesMen would not imperil the future through diplomatic indecision and ineptitude. He -believed hostilities would continue for ever if they waited for Sir Edward Grey and Herr von BethmannHollweg to agree as to which side .was blameworthy. The people ought to know if the war would continue until fall of "Constantinople or until some eomjiact with the Allies was fulfilled. Be urged immediate negotiations for the termination of. hostilities. Moral force ought to overcome physical violeace, bringing the nations through sanity to ■peace.

.Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald supported Mr. Ponsonby. »Our duty, he saia, was to make clear -to our enemies our intentions.

Sir E. Grey said he was not prepared to make a comprehensive reply, but if he believed that the German Government ajid nation had arrived at a stage when the Allies could bring peace nearer by speeches, he would reply. He did hot believe, however, that that time had come yet. It was impossible to state terms of peace or terms that were aceptable to the .Allies, until he had consulted the Allies. A conference of the nations was. not accepted when waij was threatened, because no goodwill existed. He wished Austro-Germany had published the reports of the Balkans conference, as they would show Britain's part, which was one of entire good faith throughout. A pre-war conference should have been accepted with confidence and goodwill. He could not admit that Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg's interviews showed a disposition to accept peace. If Germany was prepared to offer terms, why didn't she say so? Did etiquette gtand in the way? Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg's definition of Britain r s attitude ■ over the Bosnian difficulty was a first-clasa lie. It was impossible to resort to reason while the German people were fed up with lies. Herr Holhveg said those responsible for a continuance of the war would be compelled to accept Germany's terms. That was a childish statement. Nations refusing to accept peace terms regardless of their own interests could not lie regarded as responsible for the continuance of the war. The Allies were unbeaten, and they were not going to be beaten- If any ally possessed a special right to speak for peace it was France, whereon the fury of the Germans had been concentrated for weeks at Verdun. The French armies' prowess was saving France and her allies. It was impossible at this moment for Britain to do anything except to concentrate her energies and give the fullest support to the Allies. What would future generations say if they let escape this occasion for establishing a durable peace, based on international right and a peace that would save the world from a similar catastrophe in the future? They had nbt yet reached & stage giving a prospect of making durable peace • reality.