POINTS IN THE TREATY.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 209, 3 September 1919, Page 9

POINTS IN THE TREATY.

GERMANY'S EVASIONS.

THE ARMISTICE MISTAKE. DANGERS OF FALSE SECURITY. NEW ZEALAND'S INTERESTS. OUR REPARATION. PROSPECTS. (Br Telegraph.—r.irliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The principal matter for consideration of the House to-day was the Prime Minister's motion to the effect that the House of Representatives ratify the Peace Treaty. Before it came on Mr. G. W. Russell asked the Premier if he would circulate as early as possible for the information of members all tho papers relating to the Peace Treaty, the mandate of Samoa and the Island of Nauru, in order that members might acquaint themselves with the proposals to be brought before them. He added •the opinion that the Premier would not desire that the only information obtainable by members should be that submitted by him in the course of any speech he might make. The House would need time to digest the proposals before discussing and ratifying them.

The Prime Minister replied that he would be very glad to comply with the request as soon as possible. He could supply all information regarding Samoa, but on different aspects of the treaty and various mandates there was an enormous amount of matter. There was one case full of papers dealing with the Peace Treaty and weighing over four hundredweight, now on its way out.

Mr. Russell: How can the House ratify fhe treaty if it has no treaty before it?

The Premier explained that the Imperial Government considered the rati, fication of the treaty by the Dominion an urgent matter.

Mr. A. M. Myers: Have any of the other Dominions ratified the treaty?

Mr. Massey: I think Canada is about to call a special session of Parliament for the purpose. I don't know- about Australia, but I know they have all been asked. SPARRING EOR TIME. "A most serious mistake was made, I think, at the time of the armistice," remarked Mr. Massey. "I am quite certain that if we had carried on until our troops were in German territory, we should have had very little difficulty in getting the Germans to agree, quickly to anything we -wished to impose upon them, but as time went on the Germans adopted a go-slow policy. They saw that the longer they delayed the signing of the Peace Treaty the better it was for them and the worse for us. I heard it asserted, indeed, that if the Germans delayed signing long enough instead of the Allied nations asking for an indemnity from Germany, the position would be reversed, and Germany would be asking an indemnity from us. That delay favoured them, has now been amply proved." .. •'■ A HUN COMPETITION. The Premier contrasted the devastation in Belgium and northern France with the undisturbed conditions of Ger<nrany*s industries, pointing out that Germany was now so well prepared industrially as a result of its systematic policy of spoliation for the benefit of its own industries -that it could become a very severe competitor in supplying goods to the world, especially in view of the general industrial unrest which had prevailed in Allied eountiries since the armistice. ESCAPING CONSEQUENCES. The Premier, in discussing the League of Nations, expressed the conviction that it -would not do to be lulled into a false sense of security by the formation of a League- Hundreds of millions ot people understood force as the only Srguanent, and the League needed many important amendments and the wisest brains of the world to establish it sati-factorily, and meanwhile he was satisfied that Britain, above all things, should 'retain a strong Navy. As to the question, "Is Germany to escape punishment?" if they were certain Germany's awful offences would not be repeated, well and good perhaps, but they bad not done with Germany. He had little belief in iAie boasted regeneration of Germany, and a wholesome deterrent was necessary both to Germany and to any possible imitaitors of "her"methods. A matter, he thought, in ' which the conference had done wrong was in the decision that ihe beads of the States were not punishable for crimes in crimnal courts. The people should understand that tlie Kaiser would not be tried for criminal offences, but for offences against the laws of nations, so that he could not be hanged or shot or put into gaol, no matter what atrocities were proved against him. It might he; possible to put him on an island.

Mr. Horns by: Put him on Devil's Island.

Mr. Massey: I think wrong has been f'mre here. As a matter of fact, tile oJicers under the Kaiser will be tried •before a criminal court, yet the Kaiser, who is directly responsible for many atrocities, is going to escape punishment for his crimes. I say it is not light. PROBABLY £10,000,000. On the subject of indemnities, or rather reparation, the Premier offered an interesting opinion to the House. He explained that he did not know what New Zealand's share of reparation "sight be, tbut it would probably be based on pensions paid to soldiers and dependents owing to the war. He added: "I would make a guess and savour payment will not be less than ten millions. This will, under the peace terms, be spread over a period of thirty years at 5 per cent. Our liability for pensions is about two millions per annum, which capitalised would amount to something like _ 25,000,000, so that by getting £ 10,000,000 we get something le« tlian half of the pension liability, extending, of course, over a long time." STUPENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT. Sir Joseph Ward said that the Peace Conference had a stupendous task, """hich had to fall largely on the representatives of the six great Powers. The great work of that conference, with its many ramifications, revolved around these-men. The House could not alter the treaty, and it- was of great impor tar.cc that all parts of the British Empire should unanimously endorse it. New Zealand ought to be proud of having been with decision* which woii'd afTcct humanity for all time The greatest work done was the. creation of a League of Nations. .Sir Joseph 55_r_ es_re_;e_ the hdief >hat within

two years Germany would be admitted within the League "of Nations. With all its apparent shortcomings the thing" which had been accomplished by the conference constituted an almost unbelievable achievement. Germany had been stripped of all her possessions, and reduced to military impotence for many a day. He contended before leaving New Zealand for the conference that we should have ton for ton for ships destroyed, that we should collar Heligoland, and that the Kaiser should pay the penalty of his crimes with his life Well, he had escaped with bis life, but Heligoland was to be destroyed by German labour. A FINANCIAL DOUCHE. Turning to the financial aspect, Sir Joseph Ward warned the country not to place much hope of early indemnity payments. Before the ten millions mentioned by the Premier as likely to be allotted to New Zealand as a pension charge would be paid, Germany had to hand over £5,000,000,000 for preferential claims, and in ilO or 15 year* Germany's financial resources would be reviewed before "further payment" were made* Everyone knew how short was the world's memory, and with the big influences working in Germany's behall 10 or 15 years hence who could say what would happen and how much of our ten millions we should ever actually receive ?

Mr. Holland declared that the Labour party would not join in unanimous acceptance of the Peace Treaty. He would prefer to see Samoa controlled by the League of Nations. The speaker reviewed the history of many treaties, suggesting that treaties were made to be broken. This was supposed to be a war to end all war, but he pictured the condition of the world to-day, with' revolution either flaring up or smouldering beneath tlie surface.

Mr. Fraser suggested that secret treaties made after the war started showed the Allies' intention to carve up Europe. Thus there was no guarantee for small nations, no security for permanent peace of the world. The treaty would defeat its own ends, because it was the most comprehensive punishment document ever framed.

The view taken by Mr. E. Newman regarding Samoa was the hope that at some ruture date the Imperial Government would relieve New Zealand of responsibility.

Mr. Wilford commented on the fact that no Labour speaker had commended any part of the treaty, though had the League of Nations existed in August, 1914, the great war would not have been possible.

The House carried the ratification resodution without any dissentient voice being raised, and adjourned at 11.15 p.m.