The Waikato Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1939 PEACE CONFERENCE?

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20923, 30 September 1939, Page 6

The Waikato Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1939 PEACE CONFERENCE?

Germany’s expected campaign for peace is about to be launched. And probably because Germany lacks confidence in her ability alone to impress the world, she has sought and secured the company of Russia in the calling of a peace conference to which a great neutral Power, presumably Italy or the United States, will be invited. The Allies will be asked to close their minds against the fact that Poland lies a smoking ruin as the result of German and Russian aggression, and to agree upon a peace that will admit the aggressor into a prominent—perhaps a very prominent—place in the company of honoured and respected nations. If the Allies do not agree, then “the war will continue to the end.” Will Germany and Russia submit evidence that the absorption of Poland is justified ? That Germany’s policy of aggressive expansion should in any degree be conditioned by the veto of Bolshevik Russia must secretly be galling to Herr Hitler, arch priest of the Nazi doctrine. But, if his aggression is to progress, necessity has driven the Nazi dictator into this ill-assorted alliance, the development of which the world is awaiting with much anxiety. Russia at the moment holds the initiative, and Germany came to the Moscow conference in the role of a suppliant. The consensus of opinion is that Turkey, and probably Italy, were sponsoring a neutral bloc, including all the Balkan States. That arrangement would obviously be to Italy’s liking and would please Turkey, although it might involve several adjustments of policy, and possibly of territory, that would have a bearing on Turkey’s relations with the Allies. Settlement of the Balkan problem is still of first importance to the Allies, for it would clarify the wider issue and leave the major dispute among the Allies, Russia and Germany. It may be that the “peace offensive” is intended to forestall the Balkan movement. Moscow is at the moment dominating the diplomatic scene. Apart from the discussions between Germany and Russia over the partition of Poland, Estonia’s representative approached the Kremlin in fear and trembling, to have drastic terms imposed, and the Turkish Foreign Minister is working feverishly on Balkan diplomacy in the Soviet capital. Herr von Ribbentrop, Herr Hitler’s favoured negotiator, has the opportunity for the exercise of all his well-known cunning, but on this occasion he has the demands of Russia as well as of Germany to consider, and the use of threats, which has gained him much kudos in the recent past, is not likely to unduly impress Russia. It has been evident since the invasion of Poland began that Russia is taking good care of her own interests. Opinion in Britain and France is that Herr von Ribbentrop will be prepared to make concessions to Russia in order to place Germany in a favourable position to talk of peace. Germany is believed to regard the war as ended with the collapse of Poland. Herr Hitler will accuse the Allies of aggression if they continue to fight, and he is clearly endeavouring to use the weight of Russia to persuade the Allies that continuation of the war will not be worth while. Germany contends that war has not yet begun on the Western Front, and no doubt Herr Hitler will attempt to convince his people, if his peace terms are not accepted, that the Allies are beginning a fresh war of aggression.