The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1918.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 5003, 18 October 1918, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1918.

A great deal of excitement was iu evideuce yesterday on account of the news that came to hand with reference to reported sensational developments in Hunland. It was asserted in the messages in question not only that the Kaiser had abdicated hut that Hunland had decided to capitulate. Tlie latest news that has been received does not, however, tend to confirm the earlier despatches. As far as can now be made qut there is no truth at fill in the rumor that Hunland has agreed to surrender unconditionally. The most likely interpretation of Hunland’s attitude is, it would seem, that which is contained in a message from New York which states that it will be found that the Huns will agree to accept the terms set out by President Wilson “provided that Germany’s interests and those of her people are guaranteed.” But this particular statement is not very enlightening. What it seems to mean is that the Huns want the Allies to give them certain definite assurances with references to their own territory and that in such an event they will agree to the disarmament of the Hun naval and military forces and the occupation by the Allies of strategical points in Germany as a condition precedent to the complete cesation of hostilities. If this be tlie correct interpretation of the new Hun attitude on the subject of peace it would appear that further negotiations are continuing between the Central Empires and the Allies. Maybe a knowledge of the fact that the Huns are scheming to escape an armistice on terms wholly dictated by the Allies and also of the fact that the Allies now find that they can get pretty wed tlieir own way,' although not the completely unconditional surrender of the Huns straightaway led to a lot of guesswork on the part of news agencies, with the result that the reports that come to hand yesterday wero premature. We should prefer to believe that the Allies are holding out for the unconditional surrender .of the Central Empires. No tbubt the

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nows agencies were assisted into falling into error by a revival if weak utterances by some Allied statesmen, as, for example, that by : Mr. Asquith, in which he says that it was never the intention of the Allies to humiliate far less destroy the Hun nation. In view of an utterance of that character —and others of a similar tenor may also have been made—-it may have been supposed that the Allies would compromise with the Huns over, the terms of the armistice desired by the enemy. But what grounds are there for believing that the Allies will forego reducing the Huns to a state, of humiliation? It seems to this journal that no other nation in the whole history of mankind over more richly deserved to be humiliated than the Huns. Why ten weeks have barely elapsed since the then Hun Chancellor, Count Von Hertling, stated that Germany would not be willing to evacuate Belgium excepting on the following terms—

(1) Recognition by the Allies of the integrity of Germany as she existed before the war. _ (2) Definite renunciation by France of every claim to AlsaceLorraine and definite recognition by the Allies that the question of Alsace-Lorraine is a domestic German affair with Franco and no other country. (3) Restoration to Germany of all her former overseas possessions or their equivalent in other overseas territory. f (4) Recognition by the Allies or the integrity of Austro-Hungarv as she existed before the war and in addition the acceptance by the Allies of such expansion of Aus-tro-llungary as has been decreed by the Peace of Bucharest. (5) Recognition by the Allies oi the Peace of Brest Litovsk. (6) Recognition by the Allies of Courland, Lithuania, Esthoma and Livonia as countries which are included in the German sphere ot influence. * (7) Recognition hv the Allies of the solution of the Polish question decided upon by the Central LmP11 f8) The payment by the Allies of indemnities td> compensate Germany for the damages of vai •• (9) Recognition by the Allies c-. the principle known as the hbei xy of the seas. . . .. All - . QO) Renunciation by the Alims of every form of economic boycott against any ,of the Central Empires after the war Air (11') Recognition by the Allies of the expansion of Bulgaria provided by the Treatv of Bucharest and as achieved by the addition to Bulgaria of the Macedonian provinces in Serbia. (12) Renunciation by Italy or every claim to the eastern coast of the Adriatic and the recognition bv the Allies that Albania is a country included in the AustroHungarian sphere of influence. Nobody can say that it would not have meant deep humiliation to the Allies to have had to accept such terms. It would have meant that the whole of the Allied sacrifices would have been in vain. It- uould have meant that the Central Empires would, then, have set about to dominate the whole world. We can only hope that it will be found thatthe Allies will now force tlie Central Empires to accept an unconditional surrender.