The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1918. THE ARMISTICE TERMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1918. THE ARMISTICE TERMS.

The brief summary of the terms on which the Allies have agreed to a suspension of hostilities for thirty-six days disclose a position that will be generally approved. It was imperative that Germany should be dealt with drastically, and the conditions are such as victors would impose on a defeated enemy who had made an unconditional surrender. This in itself is a humiliation to Germany, and a striking finale to the incessant boasting and bluff that formed part of the stock-in-trade of the German militarists, from the exKaiser downwards. These apostles of terrorism and rnthlessness have met their Waterloo, and have been forced'to sue for terms. The "contemptible little army" of Britain has become the master of the "invincible" armies of Germany —forces that are to be rendered incapable of striking another blow, and the vaunted sacred soil of the Fatherland is to be not only invaded, but the important Rhine towns of Cologne, Coblenz and Mainz are to be occupied by the Allies—the three most important crossings on the river—thus effectually preventing further German hostilities. The first condition naturally demands the evacuation of all occupied territory. Taken literally, this means that German troops are to clear out of every area they may have entered during the war, including Russia and Roumania. Nothing less than an absolute withdrawal to Germany of all German troops and agents Will suffice, and it is certain that such a step will bring home to the people how decisively the armies have been defeated. Instead of great accessions of territory and huge indemnities, the German armies must return home emptyhanded and discredited, and no better object lesson could be given to the-people of Germany than this visible evidence that Avar does not pay. The insistence on the repatriation of all inhabitants of occupied territory inevitably formed a prominent feature of the conditions, and should assuredly be one of the items that will be included in the demand for compensation when peace terms are settled. The evacuation of the left bank of the Rhine, coupled with the Allied occupation of the three towns already mentioned, is a necessary measure of precaution that is fully justified, and it was wise to insist on a thirty-kilo-metres radius on the right bank of the river. The establishment of this neutral zone safeguards France from further attacks by the enemy. One of the most bitter conditions for Germany to obey is certainly the evacuation of Alsace-Lorraine within sixteen days. It was inevitable that this evacuation should take place, and France may well rejoice at once again coming into possession of her filched provinces. To ensure that the Germans give up all thoughts of resuming hostilities, it lias been stipulated that there is to be a great number of guns, ammunition and war material, and it may be assumed that the quantity to be given up will be such as to preclude the possibility of further hostile activity. The naval terms are not so drastic as many would desire. The surrender of all submarines within fourteen days is placed in the forefront of the conditions applying to the navy, and rightly so. The iniquitous work on whieh they have been engaged has horrified the world, though it brought about Germany's downfall by causing America to enter the war, and thus gave the Allies the means of achieving a crashing victory. About a third of the German dreadnoughts are to be disarmed, besides other warships and destroyers, and as this work is to be done under the supervision of the Allies, it goes without saying that the latest and best units of the German navy will be put out of action. Added to this is a very proper provision for the occupation of Heligoland to ensure that the conditions shall bo enforced, and it is to be hoped that henceforth Heligoland will remain outside German influence and sway. Probably one of the most significant terms is the embargo on the transfer of any part of the German mercantile marine to neutral ■flags. Beading between the lines, this would seem to be intended as tlie paselude to making Germany pay ton for ton from her mercan-1 tile marine for the ravages ofi submarines .on Allied merchantmen. This is only justice, and! though it does not <cover the <pes-: "fion .of for lives and | property lost (which must he left I for the peace conference to de-i ■tide), it certainly .appears rto foe! the firs't step in the direction <of J restoration. The repatriation <o3?j Allied and United States prison-! >ers, without reciprocity, iis ;a .con-| edition that .'should ibe sSgomnaly so ;as ffco ipu't ,an tend «to the cruel* mtfiferings! which 'brutal (German (officials Ihara j iiuflicted <on (their (defenceless ccajH 'iives. The (question to! [punishment]

dealt with. Finally, the Bucharest and Brest-Litovsk treaties are to be scrapped. As a matter of fact, they have already lost their force, and German evacuation would of itself put an end to any attempt to enforce treaties which were untenable-, but it is just as well to have it on record that they have been expunged, so that Germany could not taunt the Allies With breaking treaties. Taken as a whole, the conditions of armistice have been carefully framed, and may be accepted as a just basis for peace terms, which will include the question of compensation. On this point, it is interesting- to note that The New York Evening Sun's Washington correspondent states that it is estimated that Germany will be compelled to pay about half of her present national wealth by way of indemnity for damage to Allied property, Belgium receiving 1,750,000,000 dollars, and Prance between two and three billions. The British merchant fleet losses are set clown at about 2,750,000,000 dollars, and the Allies' merchant fleet losses at half a billion dollars, while the damage done in Russia, Servia, Roamania, Montenegro and to other small nations would complete the total. There are other losses that will need adjustment, but these will doubtless be taken into account. Fortunately German mineral resources are sufficient to meet all just demands. These matters, however, are outside the armistice conditions, the fulfilment of which is the first item in the reckoning that Germany has to face.