PEACE BY NEGOTIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16920, 5 August 1918, Page 4

PEACE BY NEGOTIATION.

* • 41 n . Ci I here is no reason for supposing 2C ;hat Mr. Bloodworth was actuated r >}' any but honest and sincere n DOtives in proposing an amendment f e o the resolution which was again ■onfirmed by yesterday's meeting in 19 he Town Hal! on the first dav of the '-'' ifth year of war. Mr. Bloodworth vo ■ecognises that the only possible »«isis of peace is the " ideals of Al iberty and justice," but he sug- ch •ested that diplomatic methods ?? night achieve the allied aims as ef- j J, ectively as force of arms. The ' Bi nerc rejection of his amendment nf locs not expose the error of his pro- hp >osal, though that was in fact dearly " a mphasised by the utterances of un Hied statesmen, to which Mr mi iloodworth himself referred. No W •oubt he had been misled by the leters of Lord Lansdowne—the pub-'™' cation of which is evidence not of I !? pproval by the Imperial Govern- Jjj lent, as be suggested, but merely tor bat even in war time freedom of ma nought and speech is a liberty too prr icred to be restrained even when m] , is abused. Rut no excuse can be 1 ffered for the mischievous persist- hy ' Qcy with which Lord Lansdowne „' rges recourse to negotiations with , le enemy. Ample assurances have est" een given that the Allies will wel- to )me any sincere proposal for "a a I lir and just and honest peace," but lar leir invitation has never been ac- f r "|, >pted by the enemy Powers. " If pov iy representative of any belligerent tlv ' ?siies seriously to lay proposals be- opl 're us," said Mr. Balfour recently, "°„ we are prepared to listen to them/' the it the Allies have proved beyond .4 )übt that every overture from the pai leray has been made, not with a "J' irious intention of facilitating the J, u ° stum of peace, but with the object Fet

■ i of dividing the Allies, and so making •ja German victory certain and easy. ! 1 Such advances arc not preludes to--1 wards peace, but the weapons of war. Lord Lansdowne perceives 1 "a widespread desire for peace'' in ' enemy countries, but it is a peace : of German making that would gain ■ breathing-space for another assault I on civilisation, in which the mistakes • of the past four years would be : avoided, and the result of which i would be the imposition upon the ■ i world of such terms as were fixed by the treaties of Brest Litovsk and j Bucharest. Until Germany reI nounces her insensate dreams of ; world-domination, and qualifies by j repentance and restitution for adrais- ! stun to the comity of civilised j peoples, there can be no just and ! durable peace. And no more eager I peacemaker could be found than I General Foch, who, realising the ! great price of victory, strikes harder [ and swifter blows that the sacrifice I need be no greater than the result ; will justify. How effective is this ! diplomacy of the soldier is sugi gested by the increasing frankness 1 i of the German admissions that de-1 feat of the Allies is impossible, and, that whatever the terms of surreu- ; i dor, Germany dare not face the] towering strength of the Allies in ! 1919. " Time and Right and the I j United States,' it has been said, ' I " are fighting on our side," and now i 1 that the armies of the Allies have i ! sustained the common cause through! the period of crisis, the civilian I j peoples must face the future with j confidence, with courage, and with I 'hope, so that they shall not hinder! j the soldiers in the accomplishment of, | their task. |