The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.) MONDAY, JULY 7, 1919. THE TREATY AND ITS CONDITIONS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15863, 7 July 1919, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. (Published Daily.) MONDAY, JULY 7, 1919. THE TREATY AND ITS CONDITIONS.

It is expected that the German Government will to-morrow ratify -the Treaty. As little time as possible will be occupied in discussion, for the Germans are in sore straits, food especially being scarce, and relief will be immediately forthcoming when the German Government’s official seal is attached to the document. The original Ministry would not'accept the terms embodied in the Treaty. They were chosen in the hope that they would gain concessions from the Allies, and theywould not take the odium of failure. ■There are other elements in the country who take the same attitude, though for different reasons. \ Certain of the militarists strongly oppose what amounts to a formal acceptance of defeat; The Minority Socialists have sought to maintain a state of anarchy, on which they found their Eopes of installing the Russian system of government in Germany and of extending it from Germany to the rest of Europe. The suggested alternative Ministry accepted the position of signatories without the disgrace of failure. Their acquiescence indicates a return to influence, if not to power, of the Centre and Moderate Parties, who were second in voting strength to the Social Democrats at the recent elections for the National Assembly. The Treaty will be Eo more acceptable to them than to Dr Dernburg, who mourns the loss of a colonial empire, or to Herr Scheidemann, the constant apologist of the late Government.' But they see in the re-establishment of peace the only means; of preserving the unity of Germany or ol regaining for any position as„a political or commercial Power. They evidently do not hold the view that the Allies vyill themselves be prevented from taking action by internal dissensions. There have been outbreaks among the soldiers of the Allies as well as among the labourers and artisans. No country would undertake the work of' policing Germany, though an expedition to enforce peace would not require a large army. Active resistance would be impossible. The formal resumption of war would add to the miseries of the people, and the Allies have already sho&n that, having made every concession they consider legitimate, they will not shrink from the • application o€ their full strength for the, purpose of obtaining the recogniiton of their demands.