FOOLISH PEACE TALK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17329, 18 November 1916, Page 8

FOOLISH PEACE TALK.

A\ few individuals calhng themselves “the Social Democrat/Party of New Zealand” have taken it their heads to again circulate a “peace manifesto.” Tho production gives the conclusions of some of these individuals afier “an examination of the diplomatic policies of the various European Powers” —.certainly no small and its upshot is that the. New Zealand Government ought to forthwith urge tho Imperial Government to open a discussion with Germany in order to stop the war. We should like to think that these misguided people mean well; we will suppose they do. They assert that “mad militarism ” and “grasping commercialism ” are deluging the civilised world with the blood of the working class. That is partly true. {There can be no shadow of doubt that the war was caused through the military despotism and tho commercial greed of Germany. It would be idle to deny that the blood of the• tyoiking class is saturating Europe, but that is hardly ft fair way of putting the situation. The soldiers of the Empire are drawn from all classes, and the British and New Zealand Parliaments,, at least, have insisted that this shall be so, by legislating for compulsory national service. The workers must necessarily supply the majority of the fighters because they comprise the great bulk of the community, but no person who is not- wilfully blind can imagine for a moment that the others are not bearing their share of the battles, the sacrifices and, we will add, the glory. The authors of the manifesto implore the working classes in New Zealand to “enter on a definite campaign for peace against militarism. That wo heartily endorse. We agree.,too, that “ peace is the real alternative to conscription.” Nothing could be truer than that. If we only had blessed peace there would be no occasion for conscription.. But what these people who want Britain to forthwith discuss terms with Germany overlook, wilfully or otherwise, is that no peace that would not be a mockery can be reached by that short road. Peace depends upon the overthrow of Germany's “ mad militarism,” not by compromis-' ing with it. Peace depends upon the defeat of that “ grasping commercialism” which for a generation and more has been diabolically allied with the military, perfection of a nation whose

religion is Force/ whose every aspiration is tho negation of freedom, whose policy is anti-social and alien ip all the principles of democracy. People who would havo Britain discuss “peace” terms with the Huns until victory lias been achieved may call themselves what they choose, but they are neither Socialists nor demoorats. If ever there was a war in which the working classes were directly and vitally concerned, and in which they could enter fortified with a sensei of duty and right on their side, it is the present war. For it. is a war against despotism, a struggle for freedom. In its issue arc involved, inescapably involved, all the cherished institutions and liberties which democracy has wrested from the despots during the' centuries. The way to peace, for which we all are longing ns we could long for nothing else, lies through further sacrifice and travail. Tragic as it is, tho inevitable has to bo faced, the ordeal must bo endured. And the determination of Britain and her Allies will in time prevail. Than that, we believe, nothing could bo surer, for to think otherwise would be to give way to despair and to dishonour humanity. The best way to hasten peace is not to ask for a travesty of the real thing, but for each man and woman to put tho utmost possible weight into the pressure on the hnemv. We are writing this not for tho purpose of refuting the ridiculous manifesto of a, few unimportant persons, hut rather with the idea of emphasising the gravity of tho war and the central fact that peace can come only with victory. Tho operation of the Military Service Act provides a special opportunity to- urge the whole community to think moro intently than over of the meaning of this ghastly war and to remember that the actual bringing in of compulsion enormously increases the moral responsibilities of every member of the State.. Ono of those respomsibilities is to resolve, more firmly and more devoutly than ever, that tho war shall he prosecuted to a successful issue, which means that civilisation shall be saved. The duty of everybody is to refrain from suggesting, even in the feeblest or silliest way, that a compromise with Germany is possible or a discussion of peace terms thinkable. The only argument that Germany understands is the kind of argument that .Toffr© and Haig are using so spleudidly in France.