The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1920. GERMANY AND THE TREATY.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1920. GERMANY AND THE TREATY.

The latest quibble by Germany over the Peace Treaty is quite on a par with her previous examples of bluff and sophistry. Her frivolous protest against the action of the Allies in distributing the mandates for governing ex-German colonies and her absurd claim that she signed the Covenant in the expectation that she would-be admitted to the League of Nations and have a voice in the distribution of the mandates may be treated with the contempt they deserve. Germany signed the Covenant and the Peace Treaty only because she was compelled so to do, the alternative being the armed invasion of her country and its subjection to the will of the Allies. She has been treated with such great magnaminity and 'leniency that has embo](Jened her rulei's to go to the limit in defiance and truculence, whilst her deliberate avoidance of fulfilling her treaty obligations until compelled cuts away all ground, for any possible cause of complaint she may put forward against the Allies for not having "lived up to the clauses of the Treaty relative to the mandates," or any other Clauses. The more concessions Germany has squeezed out of the Allies, the more she has trie'd to obtain, but when it comes to an assertion that she practically considers herself at liberty to pick and choose which clauses of the Treaty and Covenant she may abide by, and which she may ignore, it is high time the Allies should firmly and effectively put an end to a situation that can no longer be tolerated; also to point out to the German authorities that so long as they pursue their persistent contumacious policy' they will not be eligible to enter the League. Another point that might well be pressed home on Germany is that her colonies are gone beyond recall. It is probable this latest move by Germany has been made with a view to affording a reason why, in the matter of reparations, the amount to be fixed shall be attenuated as much as possible. It is, therefore, satisfactory to note that Mr. Lloyd George, in his recent interview with the London correspondent

the Parisian journal, Le Petit Parisien, asserted that Britain "will stand shoulder to shoulder with France in exacting reparations from Germany," though he reminded the correspondent that it was necessary to investigate and ascertain how much Germany could pay before fixing the amount. Obviously a great deal will depend upon whether this 'investigation is superficial, limited, or comprehensive. As the ex-Kai-ser was mainly responsible for the war, his property should be the first to be forfeited, sold and realised for reparation purposes, and the same course should be pursued in relation to the property of all the Hohenzollerns and those who constituted the military party in Germany, so that the value of all the estates should be taken into consideration when estimating Germany's ability to pay. Much significance attaches to the recent revelations in the Reichstag concerning the transfer of private fortunes of many German royal personages, aristocrats and financiers to Holland, obviously in view, of the approach of the day of financial reckoning. This effort to save money from the wreck may be natural, but the German authorities should be made to understand that the amount fixed to be paid for reparations will not be lessened thereby, but that it may have the opposite effect, and press more severely on tlie nation as a whole, so that any laxity on the part of the authorities in allowing money to be sent abroad for safe. keeping will react on them and the German people unless steps are taken to have the money and securities given up. If Germany honestly desires admission to the League she must not only make formal application to that effect, but must also give proof; of loyalty to the Peace Treaty and the Covenant. At present these essentials are conspicuous by their absenee. Even Mr. Barnes, one of the prominent Labor members of the House of Commons, in putting forward a plea for the admission of enemy countries to the League, had to assume that Germany would do her duty under the Peace Treaty—an assumption that under present circumstances may be regarded as unduly previous. Certainly Germany is not going the right way to pay what she ought by dumping goods in Britain at less than cost price, but equally certain is it that she can pay a just amount for reparations, and in this i matter strict justice to the victims Jof her ruthlessness should be meted out.