Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1918. THE PEACE PRELIMINARIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 November 1918, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1918. THE PEACE PRELIMINARIES

In spite of the fact that defeat stares Germany in the face, the militarists are endeavouring to show a bold face. Hindenburg' has evidently recovered from his panic, for he no longer talks of peace, and declares that the German Army and Navy are both, unbeaten. It is questionable, however, whether Hindenburg possesses any influence with the people who have been so grossly deceived by the military leaders that they will give no further heed to them. The general wish in the Fatherland seems to be to arrange a peace that will not humiliate Germany. This may be a very difficult matter. When the fortunes of war were going strongly in their favour, the Huns were most arrogant in their demands, and the main idea of the whole German nation was to humiliate

Huglaud as mucii as possible. Tiie pxuoo ut) rCbibCduCc iUi liio i v <l. St j , i' was lo ; De lus inumpiiai tuay into jL’iie uexilian peupxe iia vc. »o i iai‘ escapfcci me 11011,0115 ux a aoscue invasion min «nOuj.a pjacc uo ueCiUreU. UciOiC me AUies ciosj tne ironticr me people ox tee a- utiierianu will gel out of tne war very ngaiily niUeed. We consider u-v.. u vjuc essential condition ox me peace terms snould be tne entiy ex me Alices mtd Jierlm and me noisting* ox tneir Hags on the Town xian. 6ucli a procedure would teacn tne Germans a valuable lesson. it will give tUein some idea ui tne military strength of the nations against whom they ventured to wage tne present war. it will aiso prove conclusively to them mat the Allies' are the victors. The (iermans have been taught to have a great reverence for military ceremonial, and the entry of the victorious Allied forces into Berlin will have a most profound impression on the Huns, it will also be some consolation for our brave soldiers, who have fought so bravely. The goal ever before their eyes was Berlin, and it would be robbing them of half the joys of victory were, they debarred the privilege of entering the (ierniau capital as victors. The Germans are very solicitous regarding the fate of their fleet. They arc afraid that it may pass into the hands of the British, and the majority of the “Bittereoilers” would rather come out and fight to the hitter end than see this happen. It would be a mistake for the Allies to allow the Germans to retain their Navy. It was primarily designed to deprive Britain of the supremacy of the sea, and, therefore, it would be arrant stupidity on our part to allow such a menace to our safety to remain in the hands of Germany. Britain does not want the, German ships. The wisest course would he to take the whole German Fleet, including the U-boats, into the middle of the North Sea, remove the crews, open the stopcocks and sink every vessel. This would avoid useless waste of life, save the Germans a certain amount of humiliation, and remove in an effective manner a dangerous weapon against Britain. e nan-Germans laid great stress on the importance of securing the railway from Berlin to Baghdad, the idea being to use this as the medium of an attack upon India. The surrender of Turkey has effectively ended that scheme, and the creation of strong Czechoslovak States will act as a strong barrier to any future designs that Germany may have against our Asiatic possessions. The Huns know that they have no chance of recovering fueir colonies by military operations. They have always ridiculed the idea that they bad lost the colonies for ever. They maintained that the future of the German colonies as tvell as those of Britain would be decided on Ihe Western front. The Allies must take them at their word. Germany has been thoroughly beaten on the Western front, and her colonies are therefore forfeited. Britain and her dominions are keenly interested in the disposal of these enemy possessions. She is not anxious that they should come under her flag, hut she wishes that every possible care may he taken that they do not become a source of danger to the Dominions. We do not believe that Germany is so desirous of securing Hie return of her colonies as she would like the Allies to believe. She believes that her colonial possessions can he used to do some useful bargaining when the peace terms are being* discussed. One of the editors of the “Berliner Tageblatt” in a recent article which lie contributed tr a book, said: “It would appear that during the war the idea of a. colonial activity on the part of Germany has not gained many adherents. At home one may often hear the words: ‘What is the good of the colonies to Germany when they can so easily be taken away in war?’ ” He goes on to say that soldiers write borne from the front that they are well enough able to defend the home-country, but that the Overseas Dominions are merely hostages given to the enemy. “ These ideas are becoming increasingly general.” There is no doubt that the German Government is anxious to get out of the war on any terms that will secure them against revolution at home and national collapse. The physical exhaustion of the people and of the country, combined with the which cannot be imme»H®y remedied, and the want oISSRiw materials for starting* manufacturers, will create a most serious situation. If, when the soldiers are demobilised, it is not possible to replace

them in civil employment and provide tliem with, food, there is bound to be a dangerous revolutionary movement. The Socialists are watching the position very closely, and are biding tEear time. No one would be surprised to hear of worse happenings in Germany than those which have already disfigured the history of the revolutionary movement in llussia.