PREMIER'S BITING SARCASM "THIS IS NOT THE MOMENT FOR PEACE."

Grey River Argus, 21 December 1916, Page 3

PREMIER'S BITING SARCASM "THIS IS NOT THE MOMENT FOR PEACE."

"That was self defence, I suppose 1 when Germany menaced us by over l whelming armies in Belgium. I sup 1 pose the Germans had been intimidat ed into invading Belgium, burnin cities and villages and massacrinj thousands of inhabitants, and carryinj the survivors into bondage;- carryinj Ifiem into slavery. At this moment Note is being written about our un swerving conviction as respects th * rights of ether nations. Are thes p I outrages to be legitimate 'in the inter J" est of Germany? ' !- 1 "We must know that this is no n the moment for peace. If excuses 0 LS this kind for palpable crimes can b a put forward two and a half year *•• after their exposure by grim facts a '* to the enemy's guarantee, is there, !d ask in all solemnity, any guarantc that a similar subterfuge will not r, ;e used in the future t/> overthrow an - n treaty of peace you enter into wil ld the Prussian Militarist? This No! >y and speech prove not yet have the n_ learned the very alphabet of respei st for the rights of others'. Without r c ' paration peace is impossible. Are a ri - these outrages against humanity < ■«• h\nd and sea to be liquidated by h- few pious phrases about humanit; ft- Is there to be no reckoning for thei >P" Are we to grasp the hand that ,p< petrated these atrocities in friendsh without any reparation being tender or given by Germany? That lea-v us to exact reparation ofi da ago done and for all future violei committed after the war. We ha already begun.