The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1918. THREE PROGRAMMES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10155, 18 December 1918, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1918. THREE PROGRAMMES

President Wilson's speech at the Elyseo Palaco removes all doubt about his attitude at tho Peace Conference, with a strong general statement of his agreement with tho doctrine of the absolute need for , the necessity of inflicting' deterrent punishment on the criminals who plunged the world into war for their own selfish purposes. Tho three Prime Ministers of Italy, France, and Britain are reported to Hare como to agreement on three points—tho punishment of the Kaiser and other evil-doers, an indemnity up to the limits of Germany's capacity to pay, and tho non-return of the German colonies. Prom Amsterdam we have tho points of the Spa'rtacus programme, which is of tho Bolshevik pattern, wreaking all things in Russia. These are the things prominent in the situation. In addition, there is tho fluid condition of Germany, which may or may not bo stabilised by firmness and clear thinking, hut will not he stabilised at all unless the firmness acts with promptitude.

The President's statement is especially welcome, because it virtually ends the hopes openly expressed that his influence would he on the side of the pacifists, who are dangerous because of their shortness of sight. His speech is clear vision of "the eternal principles of right and justice," straightout condemnation of the visage of war made hideous beyond all precedent "by grossly debasing and illicit ambitions." It is plain that ho is on the sido'Of the men whoso cry is for justice, whose aim is the prevention of recurrence. In fact, ho said he looked on the ruin wrought by tho armies of tho Central Empires "with the same indignation and repulsion as stir tho hearts of tho Belgians." Ho added that ho joined the French not only in their rebuke of such crimes, but in their determination to apply drastic punishment. It is worth noting that he has

said this in Paris, on tho French soil winch has felt tho hoofs of barbarism, and on the eve of Ins visit to Belgium, where- those hoofs have wrought i oven worse- havoc. To make his meanI ing perfectly clear, he told tho Paris Socialists who sought his aid for their cause, that the great thing thatcounts now for tho security of right and justice is to make impossible such wrongs as were perpetrated in tho war. This is tho note which was struck by his dispatches after the Lusitania- outrage, and resounded in his speech to Congress on the declaration of war. Repeating it to-day, tho President ' said ho was voicing the thoughts ot the people of the United States before tianslatmj; them into action. it requires no stretch of reasoning to concnuie time the President will island by tho thrco Premiers in support 01 tiieir three named points—the punislunonfc or the ixaiscr and tho other criminals; tho emorcma ot indemnities to tho utmost possible extent; the nonreturn of the (xemian colonies. Ka-ch pome has for its object deterrence; tho lirst by tho smashing of the Hohetisiollem House and the castigation of criminals, and tho breaking of the power of militarism; the second by the chastening effect ot the consequences of the popular support given to the criminals with wild enthusiasm; tho third by listening to the cries such as those of thousands of" murdered Horreros, and those that, speak in the petitions of African chiefs —tor protection against the tyrannous oppressor. Moreover, American interests are as fully appealed to bv the non-return of these colonies as are the interests of Britain, because, as General Smuts so ably demonstrated, tho German project of Mittel Afrika—with its black armies under German leadership, its harbours, naval stations, cruiser squadrons, submarine flotillas, n prodromes and wireless stations —was.a menace to the trade routes of tho Atlantic and Indian Oceans, r.nd a powerful support for the demands of Pan-Germanism for conquest on tho continents of America. "Upon these main points there is now a strong probability of Entente amity, at tho conference, to settle the terms of Entente dictation. It is a unitv likelv to bo cemented by tho publication of the Snartacus programme. It is the programme applied by Lenin in Russia, and Dreaehed by him and his followers as certain to sweep the wcrld. The disarmament of .ill but the proletariat is the first point, proclaiming class war and a proletariat Czarrfom, upheld bv a Praetorian force of Red Guards exorcising absolute sway, with arbitrary 7>ower of life and death, the negation of Democracy, tho repudiation of national debts, the. confiscation of all property and transport, ostensibly for the nation, really for distribution anient? individual _ brigands. This is what is actually going on in Russia, where tho owners of houses and lands and works' have to arm themselves and their retainers to avoid mni'dor, pillage and outrage. In addition, all the functions of government aro at a standstill, and industry ceases while the people starve. The'establishment of this state of things was brought about bv German agency, in the interest of German exploitation. The united voice. of the Entente has ordered the Germans out of Russia, and is enforcing obedience to the order. That voice will next order help to be given to the sane side of Russia to sweep away the worst minority tyranny in history, tho most savage and tha most senseless. British Labour lias called bv resolution of o Congress for the withdrawal of all Entente troops from Russia. The insm'rers of that resolution either sympathised with the Bolshevik aims as attained in. Russia, or they were ienorant of the truth. In either capo tho united voice of the Entente is sure to ignore the resolution.