The Daily News. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1921. RE-CREATING PEACE ATMOSPHERE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, FEBRUAR Y 11, 1921. RE-CREATING PEACE ATMOSPHERE.

That the British Premier (Mr. Lloyd George) would take advantage of the earliest opportunity to reply to the German outburst against, the reparations terms was only to be expected. That opportunity presented itself at Birmingham on. Friday, when the whole position was the subject of a masterly and statesmanlike review in firm yet temperate language. The outstanding features of the speech were that the Treaty must stand, the Allies being trusted to adapt its proviany new conditions; that the atmosphere of peace mutt be re-created, and real neighborliness among the nations restored; that the stipulations concerning German disarmament must be strictly carried out, and the obligations relative to the cessation of the process for manufacturing cannon rigidly complied with; that it would be intolerable that a country like Germany, which had inflicted damages, while escaping damage itself, should escape with lighter taxation than the victims of its wanton attack; that the reparations demands were righteous and must, be met, and that the Allies were as united as ever. Mr. Lloyd George made it quite clear that there was no question of imposing economic slavery on Germany, and that if the German Government had fair counter-pro-posals to make they would be considered by the Allies, but lie emphatically warned the head of the Government that there the Allies would not put up with any attempt to evade payment, and that Germany would not be allowed to pay in a way that would do a greater injury to the countries receiving the payments. The whole situation centres on the establishment of a real peace atmosphere. If Germany is prosperous, contended the British Premier, she can and must pay, and he added: “Let Germany settle down to peace, for once Germany and its people get their minds away from 4he war. they, - .wotdd

prosperous.” That is the crux of the whole matter. It is significant, however, that Mr. Lloyd George, after x-efeiring to the fact that the whole German people were solid behind the war in .1914, and if they had won would gladly have shared in the booty, pointed out that though Herr von Simons was fair and reasonable at Spa, there was an uneasy feeling that the 1914 men were behind him, “desirous of treating treaties as mere scraps of paper.” Confirmation of this feeling is provided by the stage-managed labor demonstrations, the going into mourning, the speeches in the Reichstag, and other similar melodramatic actions denoting defiance rather than repentance. Apparently the policy of the German authorities has been chiefly, directed towards goading the Allies into making harsh measures that would create a feeling of sympathy on the part of the rest of the nations, but the cardinal principle of British justice has remained and will remain inviolate. Every allowance has been made for the difficulties v.-herewith Germany has had to contend, but nothing will be allowed to thwart the determination of the’ Allies to have the Treaty provisions fully discharged. Mr. Lloyd George has pointed out the only way in which Germany can meet her liabilities and at the same time become prosperous—the recreation of the atmosphere of peace and the restoration of real neighborliness among the nations.