The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1918. HEROIC BELGIUM.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1918, Page 4

The Dai ly News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1918. HEROIC BELGIUM.

Whatever motive may have prompted the German Government to make an offer of a separate peace to Belgium, it may fairly be assumed that it was not any friendly consideration for the country she has so grossly devastated, nor for the people she has so mercilessly outraged and oppressed. It is impossible to consider that the of£er was made with the faintest hope of its acceptance, so that no surprise can have been caused by the absolute and determined refusal which the reply contained. We have only to remember that the crowning insult was levelled by the German chancellor in a recent speech wherein he told the world—the German world in the first place, and the listening nations ,in the second place—that '' Germany did not propose to keep Belgium for ever, but that Germany did intend to use Belgium as a pawn," meaning thereby a pawn for future negotiations. Reading between the lines, it is evident that there was a special significance attached by Count Hertling to the word "pawn." In the sense in which it was used it would mean that, having attacked Belgium without provocation, having conquered it, and having treated it when conquered without pity, having deprived it of every material good, and of all the moral benefits that attach to freedom, he is prepared to give it up, provided he can obtain some other territory in which the Germans can exercise their peculiar gifts, or possibly the return of the German colonies. The peace offer itself was framed on just such lines, only the details were altered to suit Germany's present needs. No more lucid presentation of Belgium's case has ever been presented to the world by Mr. Balfour on the occasion of the celebration in London of the Belgian National Fete Day a few weeks ago. After describing the peaceful and tranquil tenor of Belgium's national life before the war —a model of industrial efficiency and political freedom—he drew the following picture of the lurid transformation scene caused by the war:

''The change from that day is indeed a tragic change, for we now see this martyr among nations, her land trampled by a foreign and remorseless enemy, stripped of all means by which she can carry on her national interests, reduced to servitude—which means in some cases, I fear, slavery—tortured, crushed, helpless. And yet, though that is the picture of what has occurred to Belgium since July 21, 1014, I think there never was a moment when her virtue showed up more clearly in the face of mankind, and when the iDfamv of her oppressor caused bitterer hate or profounder loathing among all civilised nations. The Germans, I believe—l know —calculated that, however unjustifiable by the laws of God and man and the rules that govern all commerce of civilised nations, however infamous her conduct might appear, success, striking, rapid, and overwhelming, would cause all those crimes to be buried in the past, and that she would shine out among nations, if not the most beloved, at least the most feared, at least the greatest. Germany lias made many miscalculations in this war. No doubt she has never made a moral calculation which was not utterly wide of the mark, and her habitual practice has not been abandoned in this case. The crime of which Belgium is the victim is not forgotten, is not likely to be forgotten, never will be forgotten. It is an eternal shame upon the fame of the German people which nothing they can do, even were they to repent to-morrow of their political crimes, would ever wipe out."

There is, as Mr. Balfour rightly pointed out, some danger of losing the full perception, in its correct proportion, of the real character of the deed whereby Germany broke all her treaties in attacking Belgium—an ' attack that was doubly infamous from the fact that the attacker had promised to be the defender. Neither must we forget that Germany's utter disregard of, treaties is something we are bound to bear in mind wherever a policy is based on German promises, for a German promise is not a binding contract, and the peace of the world would rest upon very frail foundations if it rested oil nothing more solid than a solemn pact with Germany. That is why the Allies have determined that a decisive'victory must precede peace negotiations and German punishment. Belgium's sin in German eyes was that she defended herself, so the Huns applied to her the full force of their ruthless frightfulness. Over against the dark background of those infamies the brightness of Belgium's glories and virtues shine out with special and immortal lustre, enhanced by her loyal and courageous refusal to entertain for a moment the hypocritical peace offer made by Germany. Though her people are now suffering bitterly, lot them take courage, for these dark days are passing, ajid in the days of peace to come Belgium will reap the reward of her courage, constancy and virtue to rnanMnd.