The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1916. HUNS' CRY FOR PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1916. HUNS' CRY FOR PEACE.

It is not surprising that the German Crown Prince, Herr von Bethmann-Holl-weg, Herr Ballin and other Hun luminaries should be anxious for peace. The tide has turned, and they wish their guilty nation to escape the just punishment that, bluff as they may, they know too well is in store for it. On every side the Germans are being pounded hard, and it is a physical impossibility for them to stand the process much longer. In point of fact, the German troops, if we can rely upon the cables, are already feeling the effects of the ceaseless, pressure of the Allies on the West, which is growing in intensity rather than diminishing, and also extending to the whole of the line. The enemy is clearly apprehensive as to where the next great blow is to fall, and his morale is suffering greatly. And he can find no relief wherever he turns. Brusiloff, on tli» Eastern front, is making another of hh sensational attacks, which at any moment may succeed in dividing the Austrians from the Germans and capturing Lemberg and other' important points. The situation here is fairly critical, for Hindcnburg, who boasted the other day about overthrowing the perfidious Roumanians, has now to recall his forces to withstand Brusiloff's blows. In the Balkans, the enemy is already sorely tried. The Roumanians have crossed the Danube and threaten the great Mackensen's rear, whilst the Allies from Salonika are keeping; the Bulgarians very fully occupied, with tJie prospect of smashing them and the Turks be'foro many months are past. The Italians are also making splendid progress, and have Trieste practically within their grasp, the fall of which would open the way to the occupation of Italy's unredeemed provinces. Yes; one can quite understand the desire of the Huns for an early peace. Dr. Dernberg, another of their leaders, even threatens to bring about peace by resuming the policy of "frightfulness" on the seas, but, like his fello'.r Teutons, he seems incapable of realising the spirit that is actuating Britain and her allies in this way. Their acts of "frightfulness" do not frighten; they but strengthen the determination of the Allies to overthrow the bestial and monstrous God the Teutons have erected ami worship. The Allies regard the war ai one (as Colonel Fcyler, the Swiss military authority and a neutral, strikingly puts it) 'against rampant and purblind brutality, a war in defence of the patri ■ mony of humanity, culture and faith that nineteen eenturias-of Christian civilisation have handed down to modern Europe. The essential moral blunder on Germany's part is to have driven the conscience of the whole world to tin greatest ally of her enemies." Telling words these, but true. Herr Ballin exclaims that "this insane war could have been avoided had British statesmen acted wisely." For once, a German leader has spoken the truth. This war could have been avoided, no doubt, if Britisn statesmen had done their duty and seen that every able-bodied man was trained to arms in anticipation of the German attack on tho world's peace. That would have been the only way o. c preventing the war; no words, no conventions, no treaties have dom> so. Force is the only thing the gentle Hun knows, and because ho is about to feel the effect of his own policy of force, naked and immoral, brutal and monstrous, he is . crying aloud to the world to stop this terrible war, and, with an audacity beyond the understanding of ordinary men, seeking to put the blame for commencing the bloody orgy upon unoffending countries like Britain, France, and little but noble Belgium. Have the Huns forgotten the words of their own litcrateur, Maximillian Harden? He said: "Let us drop our miserable attempt to excuse Germany's action. We willed the war. It is Germany that strikes; when she has conquered new dominions 1 ,for her genius, then the priesthood of all tlio gods will praise the good war." This, of course, was written when thing' were going well with the Germans, when success seemed well within their grasp. Things, however, have changed since then and the tune has altered.