THE PEACE TALK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14712, 18 September 1918, Page 7

THE PEACE TALK.

SPEECH BY SIR JAMES ALLEN.

REFERENCE TO REPRISALS

(Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. Sir Jamas AJlen referred to the peace talk m a speech at a patriotic function m Wellington suburb. Ho said: There are those who have been talking about peace. We all desire peace, but we do not desire a peace which will make the sacrifices which our soldier lads have made of no use> to us. We British people were determined at the start tt> play the game, but our opponents did not play the game. As the Mayor has said we> had to retaliate. It was against our nature and constitution, but wo had to do it for our own safety, and when Britain has to adopt retaliation I hope that she does so promptly and thoroughly. In the early stages of the war wo were not m a position to use* our aeroplanes as we are using them to-day. We were unready, but we were getting ready, and now that our Amftt-ican brothers have come m we shall bo all i the more ready, and I hope that within the next few months we shall teach the Germans a lesson by way of reprisals they will never forget. If ihey enter on barbarities and force us to adopt reprisals, it is not because we like doing so, but because we have to do so for our own safety. When tvo enter upon such a course, forced upon us by their action, I hope we will do it thoroughly, and let them know that if they practice such barbarities we will take reprisals and give them a dose of their own madicine — a double dose.