ALLIES' PEACE TERMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1916, Page 5

ALLIES' PEACE TERMS.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AFT*!? THE VICTORY? EE-ITAKING THE MA*, GERMANY TO LOSE HER NAVY AJjjn&T •• >VAR MATERIAL, ~* Should the. Entente Power* Bec!M, without delay upon, the terms of peace' to he enforced on the enemy? That is ii question agitating.a good many miiids just now, and an article in the Mational Review, which is nut forward" as a "sketch primarily intended to strain,' late suggestion," urges that the terms shjuld be debated now, and puts forward' the writer's view as to what they ahenldi; bo. ■ -J The writer assumes that the Allien will be unanimous in dealing with/thefour enemy States separately. Threo of the four enemy States have been: displaying a bent for an independent , peace, says the writer, a "sensible »tti« tude on the part of Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria," that "ought not to he discouraged as soon as we on our side have made up our minds as to the cinditions we mean to insist upon in each i case." V" ' ■ The first suggestion deals with' the • Balkans. In this connection it must ; be mentioned that the article wa» writ* ten before Rouraania came in, and it; may bo assumed that the handing over '. to our new Ally of Transylvania must: be added to the proposed terms. Serbia and Montenegro must be restor. '< ed aid compensated. The Serbian frontiers must be extended north-weatwardai and westwards at the expense of Austria, so as to give the kingdom a footing on the Adriatic, and to incorporate within it at ieast a portion of the Serbo-Croatian {or ulation now under Hapsburg rule. The problems created by the reeon, stitutimi of the Serbian boundaries, the compensation which Italy and Russiawill demand, the redistribution of terri* toiics in Asia, the opening of the Dari dandles, the political position of are referred to. The Balkan peninsula, however, presents the greatest difficulty fur solution because of the many opposing interests and nationalities. ' To hand over all Serbian Macedonia! to Bulgaria, seeing how the latter .country behaved, would be out of the question. Some at least of this debatable kuitcry might be transferred to Bulgaria, as a set off against a cession to Serbia of the bastion of Bulgarian territory which at present juts in between' Sirbia and Roumania on the right bank cf the Danube. Then the Entente Towers will also assuredly demand 4 heavy indemnity from Bulgaria, to bo bunded over to Serbia, and they ought to enforce At least a partial disarmament of the. former country. They will, moreovei, presumably depose'that crafty perlidious degenerate"who at present reigns it: Solia, and will set up their own nominee ir. his place. If Bulgaria does not soon give in, however alio ghoujd b«( wiped off the slate. PUNISHMENT FOR GERMANY. Tiie most important point of all fo* the Entente Powers to decide upon amongst themselves, however, is with regard to the conditions and the punishment that are to be inflicted upon, ficimany. In imposing our will upon the Huns we shall be dictating terms to princes and politicians and soldiers whoSQ word is valueless. Belgium must, as far as is practicable, be restored to her old position with an cc stein increase of territory, and Alsace and Lorraine should bs restored to Francs, which should also insist On the rich and strategically important 1 Baar Valley. Prussian Poland and the East Prussian frontier should be rectified in Russia's favor. The British Empire's terms concern the nnrithne position, Germany must be compelled to hand over practically the whole material of her navy, to be dealt with by the Allies as these think fit. The epiestion, however, arises whether this material ought to be distributed pro rata between the Entente Powers, or whether it should be sunk at sea; the latter course might perhaps be the best to follow, the object of taking the ships over pimply being to deprive Germany of all her modern fighting craft except some comparatively light vessels. Another point on which this country must adopt a very firm attitude indeed i.-: in respect to the merchant shipping to be handed over by Germany in satisf»c:on for the vessels that have been sunk by enemy cruisers and submarines contrary to international law. This affects France, Russia, Italy, and Japan, -u well us ourselves; but we have been the greatest sufferers from Teutonic piracy. Neutral shipping should also be compensated for vessels sunk by the oiemy. Germany, the article concludes, must be disarmed and rendered incapßble of making war upon a r.eighbor for many years to come, and render impracticable the mobilisation of more than, say, haii a million men. Her war material should be handed over to the Allies n,nd jettisoned at sea. Tue punishment of those responsible for the outrages is considered, and puni(.i.i: reprisals upon German towns and pui lic-buildirigs are recommended. "Reprisals of this kind, undertaken methodically in accordance with a clause in the treaty of peace and with the reason assigned, would at least do something towaids bringing home to a debased but overbearing race the indignation with which the conduct that Genrans have tvui guilty of is regarded in civilised communities.' As to German property al'oad, "wholesale sequestration may t..vomo necessary should the enemy not t:m for peace when beaten, "or should i'vcl crimes against the customs of war I and against humanity he. piled up by * I brutal and degraded race."'