PEACE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 64, 15 March 1916, Page 4

PEACE TALK.

Though the word "authoritative" has hardly the same weight in an American message as in art English one. a good deal of credence may be given to the peace terms offered by Germany as said to have been reported by Colonel House, President Wilson's unofficial envoy, who lias just returned from the belligerent countries. The terms make a pretty list: Return of the German colonies, no indemnities by either side,, autonomy of Poland, partition of Serbia,. Montenegro and Albania, evacuation of France and Belgium, Russian control of Persia, and the freeing of Turkey from British influence, whatever that may mean. From the Allies' point of view they arc, of course, absurd, but from what one knows of Germany they are quite probably what the Germans would begin by asking for at peace negotiations' and what many Germans really believe they can obtain. It must be remembered, however, that in peace negotiations, each side starts out by making exorbitant demands. .This was the case after the Russo-Japanese war, when Japan asked for an indemnity, which she knew she would not get, and after the First Balkan War, when the Turks made proposals that suggested there had never been any war..

But this is not an ordinary war, to be wound up with a conference round a table in the manner of so many ordinary ware. This is what the Germans, so many neutral people, and even, to theiv shame be it said, some British people, do not realise. The wrongs committed by the enemy have been so monstrous, and the sufferings of the Allies so many and so acute; that the- Allies are determined to persevere until,. they can impose their will upon toe, enemy.. There wi!l be no such friendly negotiations as. settled the terms'" between Russia and Japan. The Allies will agree upon terms among themselves, and compel tlie enemy to accept them, more or less a. they stand. It is another proof of the German incapability of seeing another nation's point of view that the deadly earne-inees of the Allies should not be fully realised, and that such terms should be proposed. Yet the silence of the Allies about the details of peace, and their preparations for a long war, must be causing some uneasinces in Germany. One object of all this peace talk must ue to get the Allies to state their terms more fully and less uncompromisingly. But the Allies, are determined to giv. the enemy no such encouragement. The broad outlines of their Joint policy have been stated repeatedly—finding their best expression in Mr. Asquith's famous statement—and from their point .of view no more is needed. One very important factor is naturally not mentioned in these reported German terms— the German Fleet, It would be impossible for Britain to contemplate a peace that left Germany -her fleet; for then a state of war. would only be exchanged fot an intolerable state of anxiety bordering on war.. These reported terms would leave Germany strong and free to concentrate her attention on the -Power she hates most.

.We ihave said that there are some people in the" Empire who cannot realise that this is not an ordinary war. Some of these are to be found at Runanga, a coal' towni&ip on the West Coast, whie'-i has" the 'distinction of being the birthplace of the Federation of labour. A "recruiting meeting" held there sullied ' . .--mse for which it had been sumn.c. '>' urging the Government to recommend to the Imperial Government the advisability of opening up peace negotiations with 'the enemy. Comment on thus is not necessary, except that we may say we hope such a deplorable attitude is due to ignorance and want of imagination rather than something worse. In justice to the West Coast it should be mentioned that the response there to the call for men has been admirable. No one will be more disgusted at this resolution than the West Coast men in the firing line.