GERMANY AND PEACE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12067, 24 July 1917, Page 2

GERMANY AND PEACE.

RUSSIAN SOCIALIST'S VIEW. Tho following is the substance of an interesting interview with 31. Plekjnof, a well-known Russian Socialist leadet, which was published in a Paris newspaper : I rejoice lhat President Wilson has adopted the idea l ', which have always been those of the Socialists, that is, tnc right of all people to dispose of themselves. I very much doubt if the Central Empires will accept that principle. The Schiedemann Socialists certainly will not, hut why speak of Shicdomann's Socialists? There is henceforth nothing m common between Schiedemann and real Socialists. T am amazed to find some Socialists of tbe Allied countries advocating a conference in which Schiedemann would certainly bo one of the representatives. Germany might as well invite Bethmann-Hollwog himself, and it, would come to the same thing, as they are in perfect communion of ideas. If the principles laid down by Piesident Wilson triumph, as is to be hoped, the consequences would be far-reaching. The first would be the reinstatement of the complete independence of Belgium. Then AlsaceLorraine would be restored to France, and Schleswig to Denmark. Moreover, Posnania, Austrian Poland and Russian Poland would have free disposal of themselves. As for Austria, she would free, nil the Slav peoples. Of course, all the. people under the Russian rule would be free also, and we, Russian Socialists ask nothing better. "Wo have always proclaimed the right of Russian Poland to complete independence. New I defy Schiedemann to say the same for Prussian Poland. However we mav wish for peace, we must dispel every illusion. Germany wants peace only because she wants to found peace upon her domination. Germany will be brought to accept President Wilson's peace onlv when she is at last convinced that she i* not the strongest. She be beaten by arms. Tbe only route to organised peace i* the organisation of a military victory by Mie nations* which the Central Empires attacked. Tho contention, of the German piopaganda among neutrals that- the people* of the Entente countries yearn onlv for peace must be absolutely denied. As far ;,f> Russia is concerned, a. microscopic minority of Russians may be pacificists, but the working classes -and the peasantry. T can state solemnly, are unanimously in the wish to continue the Avar to victory, f can, indeed, give you a. few anecdotes hi illustration. As vou know, there were, rumours lately of pro-German sympathies entertained by certain members of the Russian Government. These rumcurs ca.me to the knowledge of our peasants, and had not lost in the telling. Our peasants' reply was to swear solemnly that thev would rather burn their wheat than sell it, to the agents of a Government, which might ■sell it. again to Germany. Our peasants .are, indeed, simple folk, but even so, does* that, ritory not prove how they feci about this war, when they are ready, for the sake of their convictions, to consummate their own ruin? When our prisoners manage to escape into Switzerland they tell terrible, tales of hardships in Germany to their countrymen who visit them. But when the latter say, "Then you want peace?" they answer with amazed indignation, " How can we ever make

peace until the, Germans aro turned out of Russia ?''

Here is a final anecdote. Tn one of our villages} a peasant woman stood up and harangued a meeting of men, saying, "Tf you ever get beaten by the Germans no Russian women will ever marry you." Once more the Russian people are of one mind in wishing for victory, not, indeed, out of any hatred for tlio German people, but because it clearly sees thn', the victory of the Allies will bo not only the defeat of German militarism, but also the certainty of freedom for Russia: for you must make no mistake, victorious Germany would impose her alliance upon Russia, and that would be the most formidable reactionary coalition acrainst the freedom of the peoples which history would ever have seen.