THE PEACE TREATY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17255, 3 September 1919, Page 8

THE PEACE TREATY.

DOMINION'S APPROVAL.

ASSENT TO RATIFICATION.

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.

WORK OF THE CONFERENCE.

REPARATION QUESTION.

LORD JELLICOE'S WARNING.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] I WELLINGTON, Tuesday. In the House of Representatives this afternoon, the Prime Minister, Mr. W. F«, Maesey, moved:"That this t House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled resolves that this House assents to the ratification by His Majesty of the Treaty of Peace with Germany, as approved by the plenipotentaries at the recent Peace Conference." """ Mr. Maseey said that the Peace Conference was probably the most important event of the kind in the .history of the wor.d. It was easy to criticise the treaty arrived at, but that was no part of his duty. There were some, points amongst the many raised by the great issues involved on which he had his own opinion. To these he would reter later. He asked the House to consider the difficult prob.ems raised and the enormous task tue coinerence bad undertaken in finding an equitable settlement of these proDiems. Ins impositions put upon Germany bv, the treaty were not greater than sue couid . bear. He had no great faith in the regeneration of the German spirit. The manner in which the business of the Peuce L'onlerence was conducted was far lrom satisfactory, owing largely to the dual language difficulty. Finally, the system of commissions was adopted.

Germany's " Go-slow " Policy. Mistakes of course were made, but he was convinced the great mistake was that? peace was not dictated on German soil immediately after the armistice. The length of time which elapsed after the armistice gave Germany ground for hope that the longer peace was delayed the better terms they could make. They accordingly adopted a " go-slow " policy in the hope that a wave of Bolshevism then sweeping over Europe would cause dissention amongst the Allies to their profit. However, they at last made up their minds to sign, and he made up his mind he would sign as the representative of New Zealand, and this he at last was able to

Continuing, Mr. Massey said the German power was to some extent broken, but he did col believe war was at an end. While they we're fitting in Paris at the Peace Conference there were 22 small wars going on in various parts of the world, because Jhere were many people who only understood the argument of force, and who could only be kept within their own borders by force. Need for Protection. The statements recently made by Lord Jerlicoe in the Dominion were a grave warning and worthy of serious consideration by the people of New Zealand. He favoured the idea of the League of Nations, but he did not believe it would put an end to war, and we must keep up our armies and navies, especially the latter, without which a war could not be won. This included, of course, the mercantile marine. Our existence as a nation depended on the navy, which must be maintained at proper strength. What that strength should be was for experts to say, and he did not pretend to expert. The League of Nations was not a complete protection against war, but it must be remembered that, it was only in its infancy. Continuing, Mr. Massey said that if he thought Germany was going to settle down and be a respectable nation he might be disposed to say "Go and sin no more." He was afraid there were other nations only waiting to repeat the conduct of the Germans in the hope that they would be more successful. It was therefore necessary to do something to discourage such outrages, and it was therefore necessary to punish Germany severely. Mr. Massey then proceeded to review the work of the various commissions, dealing specially with the one with which he was personally connected, that of dealing with the crimes committed during the war. Reparation by Germany.

The question of the amount of reparation which Germany would have to pay was most difficult to determine, and the first commission for the purpose of fixing the amount had to be abandoned because it was impossible t° determine how much Germany could pay. Consequently a standing commission was set up with a view to fixing the amount of Germany's liability by May of next year. At a rough guess he thought our share would be between- £10.000,000 and £12,000.000, which might take 60 years to get. There could be no question of immediate payment. He thought this money should go towards the support of our soldiers' pensions fund.

Mr. Massey explained the labour covenants of the treaty, which were designed to uplift labour in many backward countries to the level, of those enjoying better labour conditions. An international conference would shortly be held to endeavour to effect this. Continuing, Mr. Massey said the work of the Peace Conference would go on for many months yet, because the Austrian and other treaties had not yet been completed. After the adjournment the House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Discussing the mandate of the island of Nauru, Mr. Massey explained the difficulty which arose between Mr. Hughes and himself as to the respective shares in the mandate and the final arbitration of Lord Milner, who determined the matter on the lines suggested by the speaker. He concluded by quoting freely from reports showing the enormous wealth of the island.

Sir Joseph Ward's Views. Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Opposition, said that very few people realised what a stupendous task the delegates at the Peace Conference had before them in endeavouring to settle the peace terms in a manner satisfactory to ■ all parties. The bulk of that great task fell upon the representatives of the five great Powers, aided by the best lawyers, civil servants, and international experts that the world could produce. There were 32 countries represented at the conference, and his personal opinion was that the greatest work done at the conference was the establishment of the League of Nations, which, in time, would become the guide and controller of great nations, and lead them in the path of peace. He outlined the purposes of the league, but declared that he thought it would never properly fulfil its functions until Germany and Russia were admitted as members. This, he thought, would be the case within two years. The limitation of armaments provided for in the constitution of the league did not apply to the navy. We were essentially a maritime people, and he asserted that we could not submit to any control over the British Navy, except the British Government and Governments of the British Dominions. Every maritime nation was recognising the need for additional naval power, and we must not neglect precautions. Some Great Achievements. Coming to the Peace Treaty itself, he said it affirmed many points of world - wide importance. For instance there were to be no fortifications on the banks of the Rhine. There were to be no preferential railway tariffs either to help Germany or cripple "her opponents in trade. The restoration of AlsaceLorraine was also a great achievement, as also was the securing of the independence of Austria and many small nations, i

This cut-off so much of the fighting force _ which Germany had endeavoured to utilise to her own ends. Heligoland, that great German fortress which was such a menace to the British Navy, was to be destroyed by German labour. That surely was something for which the treaty was worth while. Regarding the mandate over Samoa, Sir Joseph Ward said he had some doubts, and he was not prepared to say that New Zealand ought to have that mandate. He believed it would have been better if Britain had that mandate, but it was our duty to affirm the treaty with the mandate in it and wait on time to show whether the opinion he had just expressed was right. The labour covenant in the treaty was a fine effort, for which Mr. -E. N. Barnes should be thanked, but the weak point of the labour charter was that America and Japan held back from accepting it and until it had a world-wide application he thought it would never be so effective as it should be. I The Financial Aspect. I Regarding the financial side of the ! treaty, he thought the only safe course for us was not to count on getting anything. : We might get the ten millions mentioned by the Prime Minister, bu*» we certainly would not get anything for ten years. At the end c f that time it might be anticipated that circumstances might have so changed that it would not be possible to make the necessara, demands upon Germany. The amoun¥ Germany had to make up for Franco and Belgium was so great that he saw no prospect of her being able to meet the claims made by us. Another great advantage of the treaty was that it cancelled all secret treaties between nations and cleared the atmosphere of secret diplomacy. Germany could no longer differentiate against imports from other countries. The Kiel Canal was to be free to all ships. These things were but the fringe of many points in the treaty, and it was a great thing that the House should have the opportunity of ratifying it.

A Labour Viewpoint. 1 Mr. H. E. Holland (Grey) said he proposed to give reasons why labour members of the House could not fall in with the view that the treaty should be unanimously ratified. He complained of the ' manner in which the House was being asked to ratify the treaty, which it had never seen and about which they had to rely entirely on the statements of the two gentlemen who went away from this j country, statements which could not be wholly accepted, for even they had not agreed. He briefly discussed ' Nauru which he said overshadowed the ' whole of the Prime Minister's speech. The League of Nations as constituted was most ' unjust, being dominated by five great mili- i tary Powers, and if Germany and Russia ' did come in later they would have to take position equal only to Si am or Peru. He . thought it a good thing that conscription should be abolished in Germany and that the German navy should go out. It would '. he a better thing if conscription went out i all over the world and there were no I longer navies anywhere. It was most un- ! just to punish the German people for the crimes of the military class. He had no hope that the peace treaty would bring peace.

Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) declared that no one could now pretend that tan great war was a war to end war. The or.ly solution for the problems was that promised by organised labour, which went out for no acquisitiorr*of territory.

Labour Speeches Criticised. Mr. Edward Newman (Eangitikei) said that until he heard the speeches of the Labour members to-night he had neve*heard anyone express dissatisfaction at the work done by Mr. Massey-and Sir Joseph Ward at the peace conference. He therefore thought those members quite out of t-cuch with the opinion of the people of this country. He thought it would have been better if Samoa had been placed under the control of Britain, but warmly approved the League of Nations Mr. T. M. Wilford iHutt) declared that had the League of Nations been in existence on August 4, 1914. the great war could not have happened, because before Austria attacked Servia. Servia could have applied to a ereat allied tribunal. That ■was the solution of great international problems, and the contention that this solution would come through organised Labour or cajganised Socialism was 'tripe." At 11.13 p.m. the Speaker put the question, and the motion was carried on the voices.

The resolution was also carried in the Legislative Council.