OUTCOME OF WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18333, 16 February 1920, Page 6

OUTCOME OF WAR.

MR BALFOUR. ON EUROPEAN

OUTLOOK.

By Telegraph—Press Association—OopfTißht Australian and N.Z. Oablo Association. LONDON, February IS. Mr Balfour, replying in the House of Commons, declared that neither the Allied nor the German experts were able to estimate what Germany would be able to pay ten or fifteen years hence. The Treaty provided that Germany might, offer a lump sum within four months. The British Government had always been most anxious to carefully limit its list of War Criminals, but was not able to examine the other listß. The British lists included nobody who earned out illegal orders unless ho exceeded such orders. He sympathised with M, Ciemenceau, who approved of the British viewpoint, but who was unable to escape the inclusion of persons guilty of individual crimes. Mr Balfour believed that no colours were too dark in which to paint a great part of Europe, but deplorable as was the situation, it was not duo to the Treaty, but to the outcome of the war, and the implication of the principle of self-determination, in which the new States were refusing to co-operate with their neighbours.

Mr Balfour denied that Britain -was in anywise responsible for the delayed Turkish peace. He considered the suggested intervention of the League of Nations in regard to Russia of no avail, because its leading .members already had unsuccessfully tried to discover a solution at the Peace Conference.

Broadly speaking, the reason why Europe lacked so many fundamental necessaries at present was because labour produced much less than\ before the war, and credit had been shattered. Great amelioration in the condition of Europe might be possible if the countries Avhich the war had left richer than before fully assisted _ Britain. (Cheers.) Her greatest contribution to the solution would be to maintain intact and build up her great industrial system, around which the whole system of Europe really revolved.

MR CHURCHILL ON BOLSHEVISM

(Received February 15, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, February 15.

Mr Churchill, speaking at Dundee, emphasised the fact that Britain was bound to help the anti-Bolsheviks. It was a question of honouring her promises. He was convinced that the Allies ultimately would profoundly rue the fact that they did not take more< decided action to crush the Red peril. He advocated making an early peace with Turkey, being careful not to trample on Mohammedan principles. He declared that there wa.s no differ-* ence between Coalition and Independent Liberals justifying a division which might end in tho rule of the Socialists. He was surprised that the Labour Party was in love with Bolshevism. The proletariat of Russia was ruled by a gang of miscreants. The Government should not begin friendly relations with them. Ho expressed the opinion that Bolshevism would bring much evil to Britain, France and the United States. If Labour was united and strong enough to govern, it simply would become a, class party, fighting in class interests, and its doctrines would be disastrous to the prosperity aud unity of the Empire.