The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1918. GERMANY'S PEACE OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1918. GERMANY'S PEACE OFFENSIVE.

Once again there are indications that a peace move is being engineered by Germany, a Dutch financier having arrived in England, making no ell'ort to conceal the purpose of his mission. It lias become quite a recognised proceeding on Germany's part, when time is needed for recuperation, to fly a peace kite, but there are always ulterior motives behind this thinly-veiled disguise. The German military authorities entered upon their recent war offensive with a determination to break through the Anglo-French line, and so inflict a decisive defeat. It was their last card, and they have so far played it for all it was worth. They have met with a limited amount of tactical success, but not a single strategic object has been attained. They did not count the cost—it is not their custom so to do—the lives of hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of their manhood are nothing when placed in the scale against the will of the High Command. The German people, however, are having their eyes opened to the iniquitous sys(em under which they are sent to slaughter like sheep. They were led to believe that Paris was to be entered by April 1, and that to accomplish such a vital achievement sacrifices were necessary, but the inevitable has happened. Only a small advance has been made, at an appalling price in human life and suiTering, and this cannot fail to impress the people, as well as foster an impetus for

peace. Tliey must, therefore, lie soothed. so a peace offensive is engineered—one of those liollow shams which are merely meant to affect the credulous—a display of stage ell'ccls, villi the limeiighl. strong

upon an olive hranch. .Moreover, Hie franchise crisis is also ;i factor in this move. It is not merely the people of Germany who have to he hypnotised by these peace tricks, for the Austrian people are in an actual slate of ferment, the political and economic tension being intense, and a collapse being expected at any moment. On May Day, in Vienna, work was suspended and there were twenty-two demonstrations, besides iiflyeiglit in the provinces, at which peace and better conditions for labor were demanded. It is significant that there were no serious disturbances, a fact which emphasises the grave nature of the crisis, and the determined attitude of the people. It is well known that conditions in Austria have been going from bad to worse for a considerable time, and that the peace movement has gathered strength. Under all these circumstances it can be seen that the launching of a peace offensive just now was an astute move. The Germans are playing for time in their desperate gamble, and the enormous losses they have suffered will ncessitate a still further drain on the manhood of Germany and Austria. The fluttering of this latest peace kite is meant to appeal to the people of the Central Empires, and to place the blame of the compulsory continuance of the war on the enemy—especially Britain—in the hope that the further reduction of food rations will be accepted without a murmur. There are so many obvious reasons why Germany should now make another pretended peace move that they need not be enumerated, the chief of all being to blind the people to the failure of the great military effort. So far as the Allies are concerned, Inere is but one reply to any such proposal—the Allies intend to win the war by a military victory, or by starving Germany of her raw materials. The Allies are now thoroughly in unity, while their confidence is greater than ever. They recognise that their duty is to make an end of the conditions which made this war possible, and they will not falter until that purpose is accomplished.