Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1915. MORE PEACE TALK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8217, 14 August 1915, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1915. MORE PEACE TALK.

With the exception of the efforts being made by the Pope, all the recent references to peace proposals have been traced to German sources. Whether these have ■been officially inspired, or were merely prompted by various powerful groups of German business men in Berlin, New' York, and Washington, it is not so easy to ascertain. There is sufficient warrant for the' belief .that commercial interests are strongly represented in the Germans' desire, for peace. American papers reveal the fact that a number of once-powerful German firms operating in the United States have gone right out of business, and others are in a precarious financial position. The mighty Hani-burg-Amerika Shipping Company, in pre--war days practically the most influential and wealthy of all transport' concerns, employing nearly 100,000 hands, is said to be within measurable distance of bankruptcy. And the ■millions' of German money locked up in non-productive enterprises in Gfermany, France, Turkey,, and the British Empire 'must inevitably have the effect of turning the owners' thoughts to 'something .more tangible than the naval '.. ( and-; military., leaders' promises of aiv early and decisive victory., The "kultur" manifesto issued the other day by Gorman professors, blatant rubbish though it was, may be regarded as part of the peace campaign plan. , A San Francisco correspondent,; writing on July 18, states that a few clays previously Count Bernstorff, the German Ambassador, had had an interview with Mr Brvan's succes-

sor as Secretary of State (Mr Lansing) concerning- the submarine, controversy between the two nations. As a result of the interview, Count Bernstorff announced that he suggested to Mr Lansing that if President Wilson could arrange an agreement be-

tween Great Britain . and Germany to conform, their maritime warfare to the rules of international law, it would be but a short step to the initiation, of mediation designed to end the war. The weakness of this suggestion is that it came from a representative pf the . belligerent nation which was the originator, and is the only nation that has been guilty of, breaches of international law. That fact is sufficieut to burst any peace bubble that may have been blown in anticipation of mediation. And in any case, mediation pre-sup-poses a desire for peace, and Great Britain and her Allies have not, so far, shown the slightest desire for a: peace that would enable Germany.to, escape the results of her hideous methods of warfare. A peace that is made in Washington, Berlin, or Rome may suit Germany and Austria and those misguided victims of promises who are being battered so tremendously on the Gallipoli Peninsula. But Germany should have made sure of the guests before she prepared the feast, with which .she has plainly gorged herself. Proof of the very flimsy basis upon which peace suggestions are made is supplied in a cable message from Washington, which states thai Miss Jane Addams (who is described as " the" well-known philanthropist), who has just returned from I abroad, " called at White House lately with reports as to the readiness of European nations to entertain peace proposals of a definite' character. Miss. Addams stated that no country desired to be asked if it wished mediation, but that all the Foreign Ministers she saw were ready to consider proposals." Miss Jane Addams may be an estimable lady, but only in America is it possible for even a lady philanthropist to pose as the mouthpiece of the Great Powers. Britain, Franco, and llussio. have reiterated their dc-

termination to continue the war in "their own way until such time as they are satisfied that Germany's power as a militaiy nation is broken. If it takes years to do it, all the worse for Germany. Then, and not till then, can Gerr many hope for peace; and the formulation of the terms will not rest.in the hands of any of Germany's friends or "benevolent neutrals."