The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1919. DRIVING HOME FACTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1919. DRIVING HOME FACTS.

The covering letter to the Allies'' reply to the German counter-pro-posals is refreshingly direct and emphatic. It places German guilt tersely and forcibly before the German Government, and pointedly emphasises that the patience of the Allies is exhausted, while stressing the fact that the peace proposed by them is fundamentally a peace of justice. The letter throughout is couched in a firm but suave tone, and drives home the facts dispassionately yet with sledge-hammer force, insisting that as Germany was criminally guilty in waging the war, and ini human in her methods of proseouting it t she must un4ertake ,

make reparation to the very ut-l termost of her power, and bear] ■whatever hardships that now fall to her lot by way of punishment for her crimes, and submit for a few years to certain disabilities and arrangements. The German people are also distinctly reminded that they supported the war and therefore shared responsibility with the Government, and that they cannot now pretend that having changed their rulers after the war was lost, they should escape the consequences of their deeds. _ Once the German people can be induced to come to grips with the stern realities concerning the war, there may be a chance that they may recognise the justice of the belief of the Allies that they "would be false to those who had given their all to save the freedom of the world if they consented to treat the war as anything but a crime against humanity; also that right and justice are the only possible basis of peace, but it must be justice for all—for the dead, wounded and orphans; for the peoples now struggling under war debts exceeding thirty thousand millions, and for the millions whose property German savagery has spoliated and destroyed." In plain terms the letter states that Germany has only herself to blame for the outcome of the day of reckoning, and that there is no escape from the punishment she has brought upon herself. Finally and irrevocably the Allies adhere to the principles on which the treaty has been drawn up, the only modifications allowable being in connection with the financial and economic clauses, the Allies, actuated by the desire to put an end to the passions of the war, being willing to accord Germany all reasonable facilities to enable her to survey the devastated regions and make proposals for a settlement of the claims. It is well that Germany should be reminded that by having committed the greatest crime against humanity in the annals of civilised nations, she has caused the death of seven million men, while over twenty million were wounded or made to suffer, in addition to which thirty thousand millions has been added to national debts, and millions of people have had their property wantonly destroyed. Not only is the claim for compensation just, but the demand for punishment of the guilty—from the Kaiser downwards—is essential to justice. The various points raised in the German counter-proposals are dealt with in the letter in a way that is worthy of the best. traditions of British policy. Where there might seem to be a shadow of injustice from a prejudiced point of view the Allies are willing to eliminate it, saving only in the case of a cardinal feature of the treaty being involved. Germany can be admitted to the League in the early future "if her acts premise that she will fulfil the necessary conditions." It is made clear that the rights of German minorities ia the ceded territories wjU be i

protected, also that Germans have misconstrued (probably wilfully) the Saar Basin provisions. There is no uncertainty as to AlsaceLorraine having reverted to France, the refusal to allow a plebiscite being absolute. The German delegates made much of the isolation of East Prussia, but the Allies very properly reply that this has existed for centuries, being merely a colony. The Allies even go to the length of expressing willingness to reconsider the question that no part of Germany outside the kingdom of Poland shall be included in the Restored Poland, a concession that proves their good faith and their conception of justice, as is also evidenced by the safe-guarding of Germans transferred to Poland. As to Heligoland and the German colonies, it is satisfactory to note that the letter insists on the terms remaining fast as in the treaty, and the reasons given admit of no choice. The reply as to. the naval and military conditions is also satisfactory, and nothing could be more diplomatic than the way in which the Allies will welcome German assistance in arriving at acceptable proposals for reparation. On the whole, the letter is well conceived, and should be treated as an honest attempt to make the position so perfectly clear that the five days' limit allowed for signing the treaty should prove ample. It is the Allies last word, and failing the signature of the treaty they are prepared to take such steps as may be deemed needful to enforce the terms. To depart from this ultimatum would be equivalent to the Germans gaining a diplomatic victory—which is unthinkable.