The Dominion. SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1917. "GUARANTEES FOR THE FUTURE"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2976, 13 January 1917, Page 8

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 1917. "GUARANTEES FOR THE FUTURE"

The -recent announcement• that Germany, following the example of France, has undertaken to respect always the neutrality of Switzerland) snows that the German Government is now anxious to pose before the world as a nation that wishes to livfe in peace and enjoy the goodwill of its neighbours. But Germany solemnly promised _ to respect the neutrality of Belgium, and all the world knows how, with the most brutal callousness, sho broke her vow: In view of all that 'they have suffered at the hands of Germany, tho Belgians fail to see how "thcie can be any post-war guarantee'of tho rights of weak, nations.".. It is impossible to placs reliance on' Germany's, .word or. her oath'. - 'She has proved herself so false and so unscrupulous that one of the main problems raised by her peace Note is the possibility of entering into a binding agreement with a Power which has no respcct for international law, ; and reoojjirises no moral obligations to citizens of other nations. Tho- Allies have declared that one of the principal objects for which they are fighting is to secure tho world against a repetition of the terrible sacrifices of blood '. and treasure caused by Germany's long-prepared and carefully-tinied blow against the rights and liberties of the rest of the world. How can wo trust the word of a nation which for years has plotted and planned our _ destruction, and watohed and waited for "the da.y"—for the psychological moment when it could swoop suddenly upon its unsuspecting neighbours? What is tho value of the spoken or written assurances of this perjured and criminal State?. Now that Germany has lost all hope of winning the war, she has begun to talk about international arbitration, tho formation of.a, league of nations to. enforce peace, ; the limitation of armaments, means of- -safeguarding the rights of small- States, and other ways, of promoting the spirit of goodwill -among the nations. Tne Government that willed and sto, red this struggle, that" deliberately broke its promise to respect the neutrality of ' Belgium, that gloried in its deeds of "frightfulness,"- is now shedding crocodile tears over the horrors of war, and suggests that if the Allies insist upon guarantees for the future there mignt be somo declaration of principles to which they are willing to subscribe, leaving details to be settled at a conference.

Germany must have a very poor opinion of the intelligence of the Allies if she imagines that they will lay _ down their arms before they are in a position to insist upon conditions which will ensure a just and lasting peace. Germany would like them to postpone the consideration of guarantees' for the future until they have disbanded their armies. But the Allies are not likely to be guilty of such tremendous folly. They are' convinced' that effective •guarantees can only be extorted from.the.enemy at tile-bayo-net's point. . Past experience has made ifc as clear as noonday that paper guarantees will not restrain the conscienceless Power- that admitted that the invasion of Belgium was a- breach of international law, but did not refrain on that account from hacking its way through. ' The Allies \will find it extremely difficult to obtain guarantees which Germany will not hack her way through, for as long as she is allowed to retain the free use of her sword arm she will continue to regard inconvenient treaties as mere scraps. of paper. The existence of "a state of necessity" was considered by the German Chancellor as full justification for over-riding "the just protest of tho Luxemburg and Belgium Governments." In the Prussian mind "a state of necessity" simply means "the interests of Germany," and as long as Germany is dominated by the Prussian spirit any treaty, or promise, or guarantee that happens to clash with "tho interests of Germany" will be broken without hesitation. whenever the - "necessity" arises; • When Germany talks about .'measures to safeguard the rights of small nations and guarantees for

r the future, bur' memory immediately, reverts to the famous interview between Herr von Betdmann-Holl-weg and Sir Edward Goschen. "Do ! you mean to say," asked the Geri man Chancellor, "that you are going to make war for a scrap of paper V' lfc seemed 'indVcdible to him that a Government should keep its oath when anything could be gained' by breaking it. But the British Ambassador held that tho | inoral law applied to nations as well as to individuals. "Unfortu-. nately, sir," he replied, "that scrap of paper contains our signafcuro as well as yours." ffow can the world be expected to place any confidence in a "declaration of principles" from an utterly unprincipled State? How can a binding agreement be entered into with a Government which accepts and acts upon Bismarck's dictum that "no people should sacrifico its existence on the altar of fidelity to treaty, but should only go so far as suited its own interests"? Treitschke declares that "tho statesman has no right to warm his hands afc tho smoking ruins of his Fatherland with the pleased selfpraise that ho has never lied. That is merely a monkish virtue." According' to the political theory of Fichte, ono of the greatest German philosophers, tho State defends the balance of power when it is itself attacked, and it prepares in secret tho means whereby it may, at its own time, itself become a disturber of the peace. Fichte goes on to say. that the well-known advice, "threaten war that you may have peace," is equally valid in the converse, "promise peace that you may begin war with an advantage in your favour." Germany has made force and fraud her two cardinal virtues, and it is vain to imagine that she has tho slightest intention now to turn from her evil ways. Having failed to overcome us in open warfare she is now endeavouring to outwit us and gain her ends by cunning and deceit. Her peace Note is saturated with insincerity. It would bo the sheerest imbecility po expect honest and reliable guarantees for the •maintenance of peace from aa unbeaten . and unbroken Germany. Even while, the Berlin authorities are appealing to neutrals to induce the Allies to stop the present conflict, the Pan-Germans are talking about the next war. The writor of a recent article in the Lokol Anuiger states that when peace has been secured on German terms tho Germans must begin immediately a reorganisation on a broader and firmer basis. Nothing must be left to chance; everything must be carefully planned anci calculated, so that "whein the next war comes" the blow will'be delivered with irresistible might. Such a revelation of the Prussian spirit and its ains and aspirations shows that it would be tho maddest folly for the Allies to agree to a cessation of hostilities until Prussian militarism has been so thoroughly crushed and discredited that even if Germany still dreams of world dominion she will be without the power to renew the struggle. Paper guarantees for the future would be no guarantiee at all. No treaty can bind a liat'.m which rogards fidelity to as stupidity, and fraud as a, national virtue. Such a nation can bo made to keep the peaco only by force and fear.