GERMANY'S PEACE TALK.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1917, Page 6

GERMANY'S PEACE TALK.

WHY IT HAS FAILED. . THE ALLIES' ANSWER. A few weeks ago this London Daily Telegraph published t!ie following from a well-informed source— There is a type, of neutral mind, liberal in outlook and peace-loving by tempera mont, which, at this stage of the war. is asking why we are not willing to accept overture? of peace from Germany For undoubtedly tilt preliminaries could be arranged within r fortnight—but it would be a German peace. They could barter theii "conquests" against their lost colonies and tlx British command of the sea. They might, indeed, indemnify Belgium, and to a cer- | lain evtent. France. "Why," ask these neutrals, "continue to sacrifice the wealth in manhood and capital of European civilisation. The result , after two years or mori of most bitter warfare, is a deadlock. Honor is satisfied. Why not arrange a conference of the nation- and institute a-lasting peace?" To such a mind it may seem incredibly stupid that the Allied Powers refuse to listen .to the still, small voice of reason, and allow the unparalleled horror and suffering of this last and bloodiest war to go on. The answei is simple. It has been enunciated in similar terms by the Premier Ministers of France and Great Bri- ■ tain .and endorsed by all the Powers of the Grand Alliance. The war, cost what it may, must go on until the Central Powers are defeated, and compelled to admit defeat,. Their ultimate surrender is mathematically certain Time, sea-power, unlimited credit, and the wealth of the world are on the side of the Allies, who have still large reserves of enthusiastic man-power on which they can and will draw. To arrange piace preliminaries now would leave Germany in posesssion of enormous powers for evil. Sh( would emerge, ruined financially, and sorely handicapped by lack of labor, it is true; but sh. would remain a Power rich in military strength and in civic consolidation, whose deceptions and barbarities and truculcnco. would be forgotten in the heroism of its manhood, and th. endurance of its women and children. Might is right, to men of the world, and the German wrong-doing would he forgotten if German force prevailed. The Germans fight skilfully and bravely. We concede it freely. And despite food riots, anonymous pamphlets and suppressed public meetings, they have shown a spirit of ungrudging sacrifice and patriotic generosity which ha' only been surpassed, by the unquenchable spirit of France and the unconquerable soul of Belgium. But it is not only they who have shown patriotism and valor All the Allied nations have shed their bet blood as freely and as lingrudingly as the Germans. Th.' Grand Alliance shows a will io conquer v.hich will neither bend noi break- Th; German victories were gained no! liecause German. 1 , are braver or stronger than Russians. Frenchmen. Belgians or Britons, but because they had prepared for this war. "TO DOMINATE,.KUEOPE." They meant to dominate Europe, Their array was organised not for defence. but for ofi'enee. They had secretly Constructed their heavy mortars in <(;i'der to break down the fortress walls of Bob/mm and France. They had accumulated machine guns to an extent unheard of in any other European army. Thev had prepared their poison, gas and liquid fire. They meant to dominate Europe, and thev will fail. They cannot crush the Grand Alliance, but the Grand Alliance can crush them. War against Russia, which connoted a "preventive" war against France, was expected in Germany before the Serajevo murder gave the longed-for opportunity. The writer remember.- a dinner of Hamburg intellectuals in April, 1914. The "horrors of the French Foreign Legion" were spoken of. and German intervention discussed. It was known that France was not fullv prepared for war. France was to prove an easy prey, and afterwards Russia was to he crippled and Germany was to take the Russian Baltic provinces. 1 asked my friei.d. Professor S., "Why does Germany want further European conquests'!" He replied, "Ever since the time of Frederick the Great, German expansion has been regular and sure. The time has now come for further expansion. We desire to include the German colonists of Russia within the Empire. The trade of Riga is conducted in German, by German- merchants; Riga ought to be a German port." T asked him whether England would remain neutral in such a war. "England," he said, "will have nothinc to do with a European war. Why should she? Her interests will not sillier. STlft will still remain the strongest sea Power with the largest share of habitable colonies." England to him suijph meant '•Spleen" and "Bornier tlieit." Ife imagined that England was so decadent that she would stand unmoved and see Bel- i gium invaded and conquered. France | plundered again, and Russia stripped of her rich maritime provinces. He now understands something of English pride and English puritanism—if he is still alive. A "DEFENSIVE" WAR! In April and Julv, 'lOl4, the Germans were not ashamed to call it an aggressive war. By March, 1913, when an overwhelming victory was no longer possible. they declared that it was a preventive war waaed to prevent the coming attack of France and Belgium. which was. they hinted, secretly allied to Great Britain against Germany—as ir the wolf should say that it ate the lamb to prevent its wanton aggression. Now. in the autumn of 1010. when Germany s problem is to procure favorable peace terms, they say that it is a defensive war to protect the integrity Oi the Fatherland. They are right. It is, now. And their admission is a confession of the total defeat of their plan for enslav-' ing Belgium, crushing France, robbing Russia, " and annexing Serbia. The Grand Alliance are attacking the Central Powers, and ultimately will defeat thein. not for conquest, or plunder, or revenge, but to assert justice and international law. Germany could have lived at peace with her neighbors, but she willed war. She invaded Belgium in spite of a solemn treaty, and committed there atrocities unparalleled by heathens, Turks,-or medieval Christians.' She introduced devilish engines ot war for- j bidden by an international convention to which'she had subscribed. She torpedoed defenceless passenger sh'ps and murdered judicially Captain Fryatt, who was brave enough to defend, himself. She exposed the civilian population of her conquered territories to every conceivable indignity—transported, raped and slew in unspeakable barbarity. Gerr nv was the aggressor, and throughout

Svery unhappy country which they have invaded, To arrange a peace now would be to condone German trueulence. Unless the Germans are punished for their cruel lawlessness, this war will have been fought in vain; and, cost what it may, the Allies will continue the war until international law is vindicated; It means great sacrifices for all the warring Powers. oni friends and kinsmen die or are maimed, o-t wives and children mourn. We are Tiiging our accumulated wealth upon ii:.. altar, but we sacrifice all gladly, t'o-.t what it may, evil shall not triumph. Cost what it may, right shall prevail. Very rarely in the history of European civilisation have crises arisen when animal life and human welfare are as nothing in the face of the principles at stake, and nations must be free or perish. Before the war roused lis to action, we never believed that the twentieth century could stand an heroic, age, and now we stand with uplifted head and thank the Divine Law giver that He has called us to share in the vindication of His laws We will never submit to a German peace. We shall fight on, no matter at what cost, until trueulence and cruelty are punish_ed, and civilisation is freed. The Allies are winning; theii morale is splendid, because they are waging a spiritual war. They arc. fighting for great ideals, for justice and freedom and civilisation. When the Germans began the war they were fighting for material aggrandisement. "Deutsehland, Deutschland über alios." That aim is shattered, and with it the only true basis of German morale. What are they fighting for now?