BRITISH PRESS COMMENTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14711, 17 September 1918, Page 3

BRITISH PRESS COMMENTS.

PROPOSALS ABSURD AND INSINCERE.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received September 17, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 16. The Daily Telegraph states: The.Austrian proposals are absurd and insincere. The real object is to gain time for reorganisation of the shattered forces. Accordingly Austro-Germany is casting a bone 6i contention, hoping to create division of feeling m Allied circles. We must first find a repentant and contrite Germany before we can hope to enter the council chamber and discuss peace. The Daily Chronicle says: Three closely related incidents at the weekend reveal more vividly even than the Kaiser's hectic oration the changed mentality of our enemies, owing to the influence of Allied victories. It is certain all three proposals will be rejected. That they are made concurrently is proof that the Central Empires are m a very bad way. The free nations of the World are determined to hold together until the sinister menace of militarism is finally removed and the prestige of Germany shattered. The Daily Express states : They that draw the sword are seeking to save themselves from perishing by the V sword. There can be no peace until Germany admits her offences against civilisation. While she wants to: shake hands and be friends her U boats sink the Galway Castle, and the crew and passengers are ?.dded to the long list of murdered civilians.

The Daily News remarks : Responsible, sober-minded men should face squarely the Austrian proposals. Those most convinced by enemy secret diplomacy, must be constrained to admit that peace will never be achieved through interchange^ launched across continents from public platforms. There is no solid ground on which statesmen sincerely zealous for peace can justly reject the Austrian proposals. The Allies have everything to gain and nothing to lose by discussion.