NOTES AND COMMENTS

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 3628, 7 November 1918, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Repentance of Bolsheviks

A cable message through Copenhagen from Petrograd reports that the Bolshevik Government has issued a Note to the Allies, requesting peace negotiations. Tin's is important as well as interesting. It will enable the Allies to save Russia from the evils of Lenin and Trotsky. More than that, as a further means of pressure against Germany, it would facilitate the coming down of the AngloAmerican forces now operating on the Mulman front., besides relieving the O-c'cho-Slovak-armies in Siberia. Of course, there must be a reckoning for Lenin and Trotsky in any settlement with the Bolsheviks.

Sure Sign of Coming IPeace. On Tuesday the Governor and his handsomely uniformed staff paraded and farewelled the 44th and 4oth Reinforcements, which were to sail yesterday. They didn't! Did an urgent cable message come from London ?— Cease sending troops! We think so. The two transports are now loaded with produce—and sail without any troops on board. Of course, the**l)c--fence Department won't take the peoplo into their confidence and give them the glad news. Instead, we arc told in explanation: Oh, Influenza, don't you know! Never mind—the 'fact remains that the men have notgone, and the Medical Board has quitted examining reservists. A Merry Christmas!

How the Times Change. When Parliament met, there was a very bitter feeling against the National Government, reviled as the Donothing Cabinet. Within a fortnight Turkey and Austria-Hungary have withdrawn from the war. To-day there is such a feeling of good-fellow-ship abroad that even politicians have ceased to politich. What were we fjiinrrelling about, anyway? our Ministers and members are now asking each other down in Wellington. The sting was extracted from tho Address-in-Keply debate (which closed lust night), the Libreformors arc fraternising with the Liblabs.. even the Red Feds aro already wearing the Christmassy smile, and it is likely that before these lines appear in print our two Bin Chiefs have been cabled for to rush Londonwards again—this time to attend the Peace Conference.

Dancing to Hun Piping. There is a suggestion from the cableman, via Washington, that, on the say-so of the German War Oih'ce, the Allies will cease dropping bombs upon unfortified Germans towns. If true, this is another demonstration of weakness on the part of the Allies. Tho most noxious gases and the deadliest of Hun appliances are manufactured in the undefended cities along the Rhine. We can hardly credit the Americans agreeing to this pact, because one of their slogans when they entered the war was: Ten thousand airships to bomb Berlin! Berlin is undefended — and General March, U.S.A.'s Chief of Staff, announced the other day that his country had already constructed those 10.000 airslr'ps. Are they not to do the relay bmnbing of Berlin?