The Daily News. FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1918. THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN TWO PRINCIPLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 1918. THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN TWO PRINCIPLES.

In his recent speech to the Vienna City Corporation, Count Czernin had a good deal to say about President Wilson's principles for peace, but the main point was certainly his allusion to the question of Alsace and Lorraine, wherein he asserted that he would gladly negotiate for peace on the basis of the status quo regarding these provinces. This accords with the statement made some time ago by Herr von Kuhlman, German Foreign Secretary. When addressing the Reichstag he said that Germany had decided not to restore Alsace-Lorraine to France, therefore the determination of France to recover her lost .provinces constituted the real obstacle in the way of the conclusion of peace. At first sight it might well be considered that Germany was endeavoring to create a division among the Allies by putting forward the utterly false theory that, except in the case of Alsa/ce-Lorrainc, all the existing disputes were capable of settlement. It was an astute move, but utterly failed in its object, though it is easy to discern that the inference that France blocked the way to peace might cause a feeling that it was hardly worth while to continue the war merely to decide the fate of Alsace-Lorraine —at least that was what the Germans hoped. This question, however, assumes a vastly different character when it ia re-

garded in its true aspect—a struggle between two principles, the principle of the right of conquest, and the principle of the right of nations. It is of equal importance to the democracy of France and to that of every other country. Germany has two very strong motives in retaining Alsace-Lorraine. The first toucheß her military pride and the second her economic position. The violence with which she opposes the mere idea of surrendering these provinces is due not only to the territorial question, hut also to the fear of losing the rifih mine fields which provide German munition works with their best and greatest quantity of iron. Above all, however, this opposition is a determined defence of that principle of force on which the Empire is founded, also a desperate struggle agaiiißt the new democratic principle that peoples have the right to dispose of themselves, winch Germany prescribes for all other nations except her own. The so-called formula of "peace without annexations" was speedily relegated to departmental pigeon holes. It served its purpose to beguile the Russians into a false hope of peace, but tho annexations speedily hecame a reality, and they will certainly constitute grounds for further armed strife unless the war ends In the only one way that will provide a remedy. Germany's ruling principle is that might is right—the principle of the right of conquest—and the principle for which the Allies are contending is that of the right of nations. In other words, it is military despotism as against democratic freedom, wrong against right, and that is why the democracy of the whole world is so intensely interested in the present struggle. The annexation of Alsace-Lorraine by Germany has come to be regarded as the one characteristic instance of the violation of the rights of men and peoples as proclaimed by the Great Revolution. Even Prussia has had to pay homage to a theory that was violently opposed to her whole nature and method of thought, but that did not affect her still adhering to the doctrino of might being right. Count Czernin states that Austrian and German soldiers are fighting together on the West front for. safety in the future and the maintenance of. the Central Powers, not for annexations nor for imperialistic aims. That sort of talk may satisfy the Vienna City Corporation, but it is as false as it is futile. He knows perfectly well that the Central Powers are fighting for autocracy and military domination—right of conquest as opposed to right of nations. 'Under the former Germany annexed Alsace-Lorraine, while if the latter prevailed the yoke of the foreign rulers would be thrown off and the people become free. By that annexation Germany struck a Mow at the right of the people to dispose of themselves. That right has to be restored, and Britain is pledged to carry on the war until restoration and reparation are recognised by Germany and the rights of nations become supreme by reason of the right of conquest being relegated to past history.