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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144850, 30 November 1915, Page 2

When reading of Mr. Ford's peace mission one calls to mind Pope’s saying that “fools rush in where angels fear to tread,” and wonders whether Mr. Ford has suddenly taken leave of his senses or whether the mission is intended as a great advertising scheme for the Ford motor-cars. Provided that a satisfactory guarantee can be given that the luxurious steamer in which it is proposed to travel to Europe will not run foul of a mine or be sent to the bottom of the sea by a German submarine, it may be a very enjoyable trip, a new “Pilgrim’s Progress,” as it were. But there is not a million to one chance of the mission accomplishing anything in the direction of bringing about peace. Tho Entente Powers, both Governments and peoples, are fully determined not to sheath the sword until Germany is so completely crushed and humbled that it cannot menace the vforld’s peace again for many generations. No sane man can hopo to shako that determination, and any deputation firom the .United States of America which approaches the Powers, collectively or individually, is likely to be told, politely hut firmly, that this is not America’s war. If the Kaiser is approached the answer will be much the same, though couched perhaps in different language.! As for the German people, we are often told that they are still determined to fight on in the fullest confidence of ultimate victory. Possibly a peace campaign on the right lines might make some impression there, if it could be carried, but peace propagandists would, probably soon be put away whore they could not pursue their campaign. One would think that if there is one man living who could initiate peace negotiations with the faintest hope of success it is the Pope, but His Holiness hesitates to take any action, perhaps because he realises that the time is not ripe and that a premature peace might ultijnatoly prove worse than a fight to a finish. Tho fact is that the Entente Powers must force the fight to a finish, must give a knock-out blow in order to secure a lasting peace. But Mr.

Ford has perhaps in view a Europe over-ridden by his motor-cars instead of by the German juggernaut.

We all know that India has played a magnificent part in the war, but we hardly recognise what her actions mean. She has sent 200,000 British or native troops to tho front and has continued to pay the ordinary amount (about £20,000,000) requisite for tho maintenance of the army in India, although only a portion of it is in that country. India has also helped largely in the production of munitions and other supplies for the array. The liberality of Indian princes and indeed of the whole people has been on a remarkable scale, and, perhaps most important of all, the educated English-speaking Indians have been strongly in favour of giving all possible help in the war. In short, India ha* made good her claim to stand side by side with the other dominions of tho Empire and has not been behind them in sacrifices. The war has brought men from Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand into intimate relations with their Indian fellowsubjects in the camp and on the battlefield and has enabled the white men to get a truer idea of their darker comrades. Many territorial regiments from Britain are also doing garrison duty in India, and, though they would far rather be at the front, increased their knowledge of the Indian peoples. All this intercourse must increase the mutual respect and sympathy of the different, races for one another, thus creating an entirely different feeling about India after the war. Exactly what changes may bo expected to result from this increased knowledge it is hard to say. Wo are glad and proud of tho fact that British rule in India has brought such good fruit; we have incurred a debt of gratitude and must bo ready to repay in some way the services wo have received.