PEACE TALK

NZ Truth, Issue 602, 30 December 1916, Page 6

PEACE TALK

HOW GERMANY TREATED FRANCE WOULD SHE TREAT THE ALLIES THE SAME ? With "Blood and Iron"

There is every indication that Germany's latest propaganda is taking the form of "peace talk." But Germany is undoubtedly feeling her way. I The higher command knows that Ger- ! many will never be In a position to dictate peace, and the passage of time will witness a steady deterioration of strength until she will be physically and economically incapable of continuing the war. Ere this stage is reached, Germany is certain to make specious proposals which will appeal to the faint-hearted. There will be appeals for magnanimity and generosity, and long-winded screeds anent beating a brave foe to her knees. Mr. H- G. Wells prophesied that Germany would begin.: to "squeal*. 1 m November. It is well, ! therefore, to recall how Germany acted when she was m a position to dictate terms of peace, for, though .her methods were lamblike compared to the attitude she would have adopted towards us had she prevailed m the present struggle, their recollection will serve as a wholesome corrective to those who plead for a generous attitude towards our adversaries. . It? has always been a common practice in ' warfare for the victorious party to demand of the defeated an indemnity of war. •< In other words, the vanquished is caljfed upon to pay the expenses of the victors. But after the war of 1870, Germany, In dealing with France, Inaugurated a new policy. She not only exacted an indemnity, but she went further, and exacted tribute. Not content with a repayment of tho heavy expenses to which she had been put, Germany exacted from France the sum of £200,000,000. The conquered provinces were' held by Prussia as security for the payment of the indemnity, and they were only evacuated step by step as the Frtncli Instalment became due and were paid. Yet Germany's only regret when the huge sum was paid within a year was that she had under-estimated the financial and material resources of France, and had not demanded a considerably, larger sum. So groat was her tfl:.igrin that within three years isismarelc was contemplating another campaign whichwould put France altogether out of court as a European Power, and only stayed his hand when England announced that she would STRENUOUSLY OPPOSE such a campaign. At the lime \\hen matters were going badly for France, M. Favre was Minister of Foreign Affaire. From the Trussians he secured safe conduct to i visit King William and,. Count Bls- | raarck, who were quartered m Baron Rothschild's chateau, at Fcrrieres. Bis- ' marek treated Favre with the greatest haughtiness, and kept him waiting for I an hour before stating on What term 3 ho wuh prepared to gi'flnt an armistice. One ct tho conditions* was that Strasburg aimst bo surrendered, to which Favre replied: "Count Bismarck, you I forget you rtre speaking to n Frenchman . To sacrifice n Heroic garrison, j which has won our admiration, and that of the whole world, would bo an act of cpw»n)iC_e, Nor will I even promise to mention that you ever made such a demand." As r.tsmarck v Insisted, on the urn-render of Btrasburg, neßQtialhui.'i wore broken oft", and Favre returned empty-handed. But the huml <•■( Fat<« was pressing heavily on France, and before long, Favre fouml it necessary to return to Bismarck. When ho Informed the Hun that he had come to resume negotiations which luid been broken off at Ferrleres, Bismarck broke In: "Tho situation Is changed. If you are still going to say "Not an inch, not a stone,' as you did at Ferrleres, we imay break off ut once. My time Is valuable, and yours, too." "But, M. le Comte," answered Favre, "are you not afraid of reducing us to despair, of exasperating our resistance?" ••your resistance!" replied Bismarck. "Are you proud of your resistance? If General Trochu were a German 1 would have him shot this evening." On the question of the indemnity which Franco hud to pay to Germany, Blßinarck was m jocular vein. He d<?- --! clared. with a laugh, that, speing Paris ! was such a great lady, it would he an | Indignity to demand from her less than v milliard francs. A fifth of this sum was finally settled upon and Paris had to pny £8,000,000, a» distinct from th«» indemnity demanded of France. Lesser «utn« were levied on smaller towns. THE AMOUNT OF INDEMNITY. As for the amount of Indemnity which France must pay, Bismarck told ThJerH and Favre that \w luul lelograp)uvit to Berlin, ami they had Infllatcu on being reimbursed for the many oxp^naos thai had been incurred. In the prcvloUH autumn £1C0,000,000 had been d&manded .-.Now the figure \v«s rowed to £240.000,000. There wan tho bill for the maintenance of widows and orphans, tho fo<»;l---ing: of prisoners, uml tht* gn'ui outlay which hnu been Incurred In the Southern Stutra. Tlury cotihl not tak«r» a franc loss than i.'I.'QQ.OOO.OOO. The* rep- | retwnlaUvca of Frur.ce printed out that Germany had already made sovorul monetary extortion!*, bm tho figure had to stand. ' When It cmr." to territory, Blwnarck i Inhlmiml on tmihuntnitifc Met*. H« n)>*t> 'Icelnreil U»ti the whole of Alnnri' I most i»uhm Into i lu» hands of Germany. i Tillers tWcturvd that IY:kum' oouUt n«?vpr yiohl Hf'.fojl. Without It. U:\eriHlorn franUrr of Fra:w i-fas'.-d io OKlflt. W I'M 1 !* Bi-.MS:: «'«■!< rt'f:!.V.Hl U) yle'.d. Thl«n»< *-x"h»ir.v*!: -1 will tu-y-r rt-\k- l-'Hti i'>A'..tl n-,A .*.?-■/.. V\'U Wustl to ruin Fnmo t.h »■«>■,!%•}» h"J" iitu-:u-<-M a.'id Iwr flv>iitU'i:>. Wry v-t-tt, iiik * her. \V<! will r<-!'.M>. and vat ytu.tl v.^i\;»v the reins* of : thm ■!'. :f Kuropi' p<-rmit;i," Hut iiMtmni; knmv I hut ICnru(>f WiMitd not i' f>r! ''>iJ Af!<>r ••ji'Uvs.s \vr:ii>?rtliiK -»!i'l c<ni.">t:l'ati>'t):< with U>\ Mmporor and Men 'ho. Hismuru: proposed an aUrrnutlvc: "JN-Uurt or the n'riiittclaUon pf uur t-ntry lino l*«rl!:," Tii'.* viury into l*itr!»* wo.iia b* a Kcriou:: blow to i\u> t\n\in* oi France. tttiJ tU<- ucciHlon wa,-» rr.S'lw wsthwut U w-\;i \h<> Him yf Ci«-rm?*ny v~> cru«!; Franco :to fltcctivvly thru would h<* of lit lie nrcouiu tor £;.T.oniU'*'n3 to com>-. I'Um iliirt mrjt w:ik nof tu*h ■<■<•„■„ >i\ wan xhv H'saH vi w\Mrn\e\i .-A.U^n-.. itn.J »a m;t!'-r t'j'liniiiti- %-i '.<\v »v-c-ii-vn- \ tlvii >>nwpr of tb* ; !■'■■ '<nrl> , liii'iyß.

Thiers spoke as a prophet when he said that "France, as soon as she should be wisely ruled, would recover her place m Europe." HOW GERMANY WOULD TREAT THE ALLIES. When Germany embarked on her present campaign, she was resolved not to make the same mistake as regards any of her adversaries when the time came for dictating terms of peace. The temper of the Hun is well exhibited m the following passage, published m the "Deutsche Tageszeitung" In the early days of the war: "And now, one word more, you superrefined gentlemen, you adorers of the beautiful and the aesthetic! When at length the day dawns on which, m good business-like fashion, we shall close the accounts for this world-war m the very centre of the hucksters' market place, the spectacle of Westminster, or the Cathedral of St. Paul, or the Tower, or of any of your treasured monuments, will not deter us for a moment In the execution to the/full of the military duty Imposed on us, though you may loudly proclaim to heaven that the capital, with its military encampments and . headquarters, its coast and harbor defences, Is an open city. Your hypocrisy, so long your principal weapon, shall avail you no more." It is with such noble specimens of humanity we are called upon to deal, and with their own measure it will assuredly be measured unto them.