THIS PEACE TALK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 24 February 1916, Page 2

THIS PEACE TALK.

GERMANY'S REAL AIM

A fact that cannot be overlooked, says a recent numner of the iViatin, js> chat peace is being talked about in various neutral countries, and that the peopie who are taising about it are eitner Germans or menus or Germany. nerr Hans Deibrueok, professor or the University of Berlin, uiscusses, in an American paper, the compensations in colonies and cash in return lor which Germany would enter into negotiations. Prince Bulow has circulated in Switzerland conversations held with neutral diplomats who are notoriously pacifist, or with church dignitaries actively engaged in trying to bring about the cessation of hostilities. German and Dutch Socialists meet at Amsterdam, and approve of ending the war on condition that Courlande, and the right bank of the Meuse are ceded to Germany. Dr Solf, German Minister for the Colonies, goes to the Hague, and enters into pourparlers with Dutch statesmen. Appeals are made to M. Dalo, President of the Council of Spain. Finally, do not let us forget the conference at Berne, which was chiefly concerned with investigating conditions jof permanent peace. Strange reports of it which have reached even ourselves strongly recommend peace propaganda in neutral circles in Italy. All these are only important and well-established facts. Others are too numerous to mention. If a German • communique declares that all such reports of Germany's pacific intentions "are mere idle rumors, Herr Zimmerman, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, on the other hand, weakens the impression conveyed by the communique by asserting that Germany will lend a willing ear to such peace proposals as may be submitted to her. These are facts. But they .need to be understood and interpreted. What is Germany aiming at? To shake the morale of her adversaries. This strenuous effort, made with a view to inducing others to talk peace, is entirely in keeping with Teutonic Machiavelism. When a wrestler wants to demoralise his antagonist after a hard ' struggle, the traditional feint is to 1 • make him think the fight may be L-j brought to an end. Then, taking ad- ; | vantage of the slightest relaxation of : effort on the part of the other, he re- | ' news the attack and throws him down. '' j Every success in this war, final victory >J as well as temporary advantages, de- > , pends on the morale of the nations enJ gaged, and of those who govern them. } I "Peace through victory," as M. Briand | I so happily expressed it, is the goal to- ■' j wards which all the efforts of the Allies I must converge. The road leading to if is still full of obstacles, but the reso--1 , lution of our Allies, and our own, too, " I grows visibly firmer as the necessitj ' ! for putting an end to the German monster ] ster once and for alf grows daily more j i evident. , j Reports, interviews, conferences, al s . these manoeuvres, officially disownec i ; and secretly encouraged by Germany 3 are so many feelers to test our con.----s ' stancy, so many snares to dull oui t vigilance and weaken our resolve. Nol fa single one of these cunning and cons temptible pretences emanates from oui t s:de. Anybody who saw the Frenct t | Chamber rise in a body the other da\ '*■ and applaud the statement made "by th« - Government must be convinced that t public opinion in France is as unanii mous as ever. 7 a But, it may be asked, does official a Germany really want co make accept- £ able peace terms? The answer is: _ ! "Most decidedly not?" *-She is merely t | seeking a respite in order to crush us , j later. If she could bßng about dis--3 I union, create dissension in the ooalis tion formed against her, aftd in the t separate Powers forming that coalition, t she would win a tremendous victory. , | Threats and insolence have availed her , ! nothing. Even little nations like Bell * gium and Serbia have' become great - ' through her arrogance and brutality. ,! So she is trying another method. It ■- ' should not be forgotten either that her I people are suffering from hunger.. It I is a matter of vital importance to the 5 German Government to give currency j to the opinion that it is Germany's 3 : enemies who are refusing to make - peace, whereas they, the German Gov--3 eminent, would willingly conclude it. - • All these underhand practices have a - j twofold object. We have mentioned • ; the first, namely, to disorganise her j adversary. The second is no less ohvious, it is to fortify and stiffen in j Germany itself a wavering public opin- ; ion. The Allies would commit the most ! grievous, the most, dreadful of blun- _'■ ders, if they allowed themselves to be j influenced by a campaign neither the I motive nor purpose of which is in the I least doubtful. ■ / French opinion is very definite. We > must settle with our enemies for good • | and all. For months we have known • j the Boche as an incendiary and assas- ■ | sin; here he is, reappearing as the j unctuous Boche with the commercial ; smile. He surreptitiously offers us— ■ [ with neutral and humanitarian labels ' j attached—goods that he doesn't dare i declare openly. These gcods are called i "shameful peace." We have learned jto he distrustful. The French reject 1, with scorn these peace conditions which ' are being clandestinely circulated, and | which are, as if by chance, fairly favor- | able to France. They see in them the | obvious symptoms of weakening in the j enemy and a stimulus to the redoubling .' of their efforts +n rlofon-l-. Tiim