The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1918. SEPARATE PEACE TALE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16232, 30 March 1917, Page 6

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1918. SEPARATE PEACE TALE.

Rumours in Berlin that the German Government has offered a separate peace to Russia may be true or false. The offer, if it has been made,, is not. likely for one moment to be accented. The Russians have not fturned out one Government because it was believed to be waging the war halfheartedly and in danger of succumbing to insidious peace proposals in order that an inconclusive peace may be made by its successor. If the Germans have made or are makina: an offer of peace to the new Russian Government, after the downfall of their intrigues in Russia, only one conclusion from their action would be possible. The conclusion would be irresistible that they were now reduced to sxich a pass that peace with one of their opponents was imperative, if they were to have any chance of carrying on the war against the others. Overtures so unlikelv of success mio'ht be made if the combined streng-th of the Central Powers was unequal to continuing' the war against their present foes, or if Germany had cause to believe that, failing the making- of a separate peace by Russia, it would be made by Austria with the Allies. On the face of them the terms which Berlin is reported to have offered involve "Teat concessions. They are rurnoirred to include the return of occupied territory in Europe, of which Germany holds by far the areater part, autonomy for Poland, which has been promised by the Russian Government as well as by Berlin, an internationalised control of

Constantinople, and a Russian" protectorate over Armenia. The weakness of the offer is that it refers to nothing- else but territory, which is only the smallest consideration of the war. Russian plans for an autonomous Poland do not mean a Poland under a German princeling', and without considering what is due from her to her allies, Russia wants more than even the most attractive; peace which might be promised to her at this stage by the Germans. She wants security that' peace will be permanent, that promises made by the Berlin Government will not be regarded as a) "scrap.of paper" when it thinks it sees an opportunity to break: them, and that security can only, be afforded by the complete defeat of Prussian military power, which is incompatible with a separate peace. The rumours in; Berlin may mean, no more than that the German people! have been taught' to expect- great things from the offensive which apnears to have commenced, with no suc-< cess, on- most parts of the Russian; front; and for which the withdrawal on the western front may have been, to some extent, a preparation, with the object of ''-releasing troops for eastern service.: If a new peace offer has bee a. made after all the discouragement of the Revolution, its effect can only be to encourage Russia to continue her exertions, by convincing her of Germany's increasing weakness.