OBSTACLES TO PEACE

NZ Truth, Issue 604, 13 January 1917, Page 1

OBSTACLES TO PEACE

THOSE WHO PROfIT 6Y CARNAGE ,

The shrieks and counter-shrieks that have iarisen as the result of the proposals of -peace made by Germany, the United States, and Switzerland are not the peculiarities of one country. It is not only m the ranks of the Allies, and m neutral countries^ supposed to be \on good terms %ith the Allies, that there have been uttered loud shrieks of indignation, but m the enemy countries also. It is clear that, m every country, there are considerable bodies of -men who do not want this war to end speedily. That there were such men m Germany itself was made quite clear m the Imperial Parliament of Germany when Bethmann Holweg informed the Reichstag that it was liis intention to suggest to the Allied Powers'the advisability of conferring: as to terms of peace. What he said was applauded by the Catholic Party, and by the Social Democratic and Radical Parties; but by those parties, to which the military and war-mongering cliques of. Germany have always- turned it was received m stony silence. -'. ':•. 1" ir: :W •■•■ ■ • ■'■■■' • -: The Social Democrats are very pumerous m the Reichstag, if. we Sreckon both the Social Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Labor Union, we find their, number to ,be 107. 'There are 89 Social Democrats and 18 Social Democratic LaD(jfr Unionises. The Centre Party (which is the political- party of the Catholics of Germany) numbers 91. There are 15 Radicals; and 18 Poles. If we take these four parties to be m favor of peace, which seems probable, it is clear, that the peace, elements m Germany are very con:-'; eiderable. In fact, as far as" numbers are concerned, they are stronger than those who favor continuing the war. It is probably that the Conservatives, National Liberals, and "Germans" are m favor of the "tfiar being continued. The strength of these parties m the Reichstag is as follows: National Liberals, 45 ; Conservatives, 44; the German Party, 27.' there ere also 18 Independents, who may bo split on the question of peace or war. Even, however, if we regard all the Independents as against peace, there is still a considerable majority m favor of peace, • • • Numbers, however, are not everything m any country. There arc, iv fact, powerful elements m existence m Germany which are opposed to peace — as there are, *lso, m every other belligerent. gAjbuntry, and m some neutral connPferics. What these elements are mLy bo gauged from the facts eositaiufid m the following~ofiblegram, which was published here on Christmas Day: > LONDON. Sunday.—Tho "Daily r Chronicle's" corrcapondont at Amsterdam says: "A widespread revival of vrar-llko foellng m, Qor- , many Is roported hore, and, Ut truo, there Is. doubtless jrreat rejoicing „ •tnong the Consorvatiyoa. anna- • inent Intoreiitu arid agrarians, who ! f an using tho Allies* attitude to • ' ftfttnethan tho war party** hand*. >

"That the: German masses could ' be Induced £o clamor for prolonging the t war Is unlikely,: In view of their miserable condition. "Regarding Germany's proposed peace terms, the latest view here is ttiat these are extremely moderate. Germany is even ready to compensate Belgium. Great sacri- ' flees, however, are said to be demanded from Russia, who is to bo asked to relinquish Courland, receiving, however, the part of Galida she occupies. • • • Thus we see that precisely, the same elements that favor the war m other countries favor it m Germany. The so-called Conservatives are really reactionaries. They do not merely desire to stand still, politically; but to go back. The chief supporters of Democratic and Radical changes are men of military age; and, of these, the present war has taken a heavy toll m Germany. So great was the Social Democratic vote m the Kingdom of Saxony, that this State of the German Federation was known as "the Red Kingdom," The Saxoris, who have proved themselves to be particularly fair fqemen, who even, during one Christmas season, fraternised with the English, have suffered very severely. • ■ •, ■••■"•■. • . "; The are , those who consider the interests of the dweller m the rural districts to be different from those of the dweller m cities. They have been particularly pleased by the \ enhanced prices obtained during the war for all sorts of rural produce; notwithstanding the elaborate regulations issued by the German Government; and, of course, they ■ high prices to continue. \ Tlie' ; armaments interests ars of course, those who receive a profit upon the sale of various munitions of war. These interests are^ahjnerous; and have all kinds oi'xaiiiifications. Not only is thls^ttie case m Germany; but m i&wpy other countries. Numerous cj.&rgymen have been shown to ' : - hold shares m the armament companies. The Inrmanient rings , that are interested m the maintenance of war have never forgiven Dr. Karl Leibknecht for his exposure of them m 1913. ■'■ ' y '' ■• ' ■ ' •, ■ •• It should be borne m mind, therefore, m considering the difficulties m the bringing about of peace, that there are many men who are pecuniarily interested m preferring war to peace. Germany is not tlie only country m which this is the enso; and, consequently, the latter country is not the only one m which there is a powerful party opposed to peace. Mr. Philip Sriowdcn*, M.P., showed, m the British Hmis'vof Commons, that some,, of the most; prominent of the British .Jingoes, including so ine who were loading occlesiaatics, were holders of shares m armament companies. Tho Bishops of .Chester, Newcastle, nnd Newport and fiexham, and Dean Ingo, of St. Paul's, are all shareholders m such companies. Men m tho most influential positions m all the belligerent oountrifts are

shareholders m, and m many cases directors of, firms that have a pecuniary interest m war. ;.•■'• • '■■_;• .Thus it is that there have been such shrieks of fury m certain quarters at the suggestion by Germany, the United States, and Switzerland that this madness of war has lasted long enough. -There are still shippers who rob the people by extortionate freightcharges ; there are still contractors who are striving to become rich r "beyond the dreams of avarice" by supplying defective munitions,, weevily flour, putrifying meat, or " faked boots to the authorities -m belligerent countries. "What! Would anybody propose to put a stop tp this! Such a proposal would be rank blasphemy ; it would be worse than Sacrilege ! That is to say, it would be from the standpoint of the fraudulent army contractor, the armament shareholder, the man whose interest it is to bring about political reaction, the man who has something ,to sell for which he can get a high price owing to the artificial scarcity produced by war, or the man who has" chosen the army for '-a career," and believes that he sees opportunities of advancement during a war that would not exist during peace. We have not the slightest doubt that the' majority of the people m all the counties which are taking part m this war want peace— of course, ,an honorable peace. They find themselves, however, unable to resist the military machines, which machines _ are J assisted by all those who profit by war. Yet, it is not probable that the war, can be continued much longer. There are limits to the extent to which human life and treasure can be "wasted;" and we appear to be approaching those limits. When the war is at an end, the productive classes will probably soon find themselves engaged m a struggle with, the parasitical classes, whose power will have been greatly enhanced by the' enormously increased indebtedness of the masses. The longer the war lasts, the worse will be the predicament of tho producers ; and the more desperate their state of mind. Unless, therefore, we should like to see Europe the theatre of a number of vast conflicts worse than fven the Servile Wars of antiquity, the) wise will seek to hasten the advent of an honorable peace.