The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1918. GERMANY PLAYING FOR A DRAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1918. GERMANY PLAYING FOR A DRAW.

It must be a fight to & finish for both sides. There is no other way, especially in view of Germany's operations in Russia which disclose a peril to the whole world. It is quite possible that Germany may use this Russian success as a lever for movpvj her enemies to acknowledge that the t ..:ic has come for giving up the struggle. Manifestly it is to Germany's advantage to play for a draw, and so avoid the dreaded conflict which awaits her on the West and leave her with her armtes to finish the work begun in the Kast. A peace based on a draw was what Germany was playing for some while back, and it. is probable that is still in her mind, but from the Allies' point of view it is unthinkable. Now, more than ever before, it is evident that Germany must be completely defeated unless the cause of civilisation is doomed. The attention of the Allies has so long been concentrated upon the Western front, and their thoughts ?o occupied with the fate of France and Belgium, that there is grave danger it may be impossible now to arouse the people of the allied countries —already war weary —to the real perils of the situation. Germany is seeking to entrench herself in such fashion as to remain master of the political and economic future of one hundred and twenty-five million Slavs, including within and outside of Russia, and twelve million Roumanians She is operating, under tho cover of Russian formulae, to seize the territories and libeities of sixteen million Slavs along the Baltic and the Vistula, together with the Baltic seaboard and all Slavdom, and she is seeking to destroy the only barrier to her evpansioK in Asia. To make peace with Germany in her present mood, and on the present basis, would, according to Mr. Frank H. Symonils (New York Tribune), be to write another document like that which Napoleon forced Europe to sign at Tilsit in 1807—a document which made him master of the continent and insured eight years more of struggle and horror before Waterloo destroyed the Empire which Tilsit had legalised, and put a tenr. to the ambitions which had there been accepted by Europe. It is, or course, probable that the task of permanently holding in subjection one hundred and twenty-five million Slavs is beyond Germany's capacity, but temporary possession of those millions mit'ht enable her to wreck the western -| wprld, dominate Europe, and plunge the world into a quarter of a century of strife and anasehy. Besides this, Turkey would have a freo band to massacre the Christians of Asia Minor, Poland be thrown back into a worse atate of servitude and oppression than ever before, and India threatened through Persia and Central Asia. Only the completedefeat of Germany can prevent these great disaateiß taking' place. While

Germany is scheming to seize Slav fcrritory, as well as French and Belgian territory there can he no "draw,'' nor can there be any peace which is not a mockery, no peace which is not, in fact, a-prelude to another conflagration in which Germany's chances of victory will be far greater than they are at present. It is as well that this fact should be thoroughly recognised and appreciated. There is not a nation that is now opposing (Germany that can afford a drawn game, for their veiy existence is at stake. Possibly the German wiseacres failed to foresee the effect of the Russian debacle which has lured the Teutons on to disclose the German plan, the audacity of which has thoroughly alarmed the civilised world and cannot fail to confirm the Allies' resolution to fight to a finish. Without dqubt the Germans will make the coming struggle on the West front as bitter and terrible as they possibly can, hut if they are depending on delivering a final, decisive blow there, they will discover their error. They may now possess superiority in numbers, but the inferior quality of the troops transferred from the East, for attacking purposes, will more than counterbalance the- mere numerical preponderance which may even be a source of danger to the Germans. The Allies have proved their ability to withstand successfully the strongest attacks of the German forces, even under adverse conditions, and the preparations made have engendered a confidence that will inevitably add impetus to their lighting spirit. Germany may risk everything on this one great gamble with fate. So much the better, for her defeat will be all the more decisive unless some unforeseen mishap occurs. The German military octopus has not yet fastened its tentacles on the whole world, and it is the mission of the Entente Powers, with American help, to sever these tentacles from the main body. Strongly a* Germany nuiy bid for a drawn game peace, the Allies cannot, in the interest of humanity and freedom, lay down the swoid until their goal is raiched and