Jan. 21.
Tus most telling of all illustrations is a striking contrast. There are many such for those who care to look for them in the conditions now prevailing after nearly eighteen months of war, and a careful study of recent facts and statemenis emanating from Germany has convinced us that these con-trests typify real conditions, and that in consequence the ever-growing clamour for peace in that unhappy country is not something carefully devised, organized, and directed by the Government, as some people would have us believe, but a real growth of portentous significance which will soon, be, if it is not already, beyond the power of any Government to curb. Take for example the defiance hurled at Herr Heydebrand s day or two ago by Dr. Liebknecht and other Socialists in the Prussian Diet. The Conservative Member had repeated the Chancellor' question-begging dictum that it the Allies who are responsible for the continuance of the war, and to this the angry Socialists shout in reply:—'"The blood falls on you who are keeping the truth from the people." A fact of this Kind even when standing alone is impressive, b 1 conjunction with what is happening elsewhere, it becomes seneational. What is the position in our British Diet, the House of Commons? There is practically one voice with regard to the Military Service Bill: there is a combined Committee of Unionists and Liberals numbering 160 members pledged not to a quest of peace but to a more vigorous prosecution of the war; and outside there deposits, and its enforced heroic are our Socialists loudly condemn- efforts to raise ever more burdening all and sundry who do not fall some war loans, what must we ex-in with the selfsame idea. Such pect from a continuance of the a contrast has rarely been seen in war under far more difficult con-history, so convincing, amazing, ' ditions? and fundamental is it. Nor does; What the ruling classes expect it stand alone. We have chosen over and above such things as we this one example fron the politi- have glanced at can be discovered cal side, but in the military, the only in obscure hints here and economic, and the social there are there. That they live in fear of others quite as striking. their Social Democrat subjects is Indeed a careful study of pre-evident. They hint at conces-sent conditions under these and sions in the Diet, but such con-others heads will provide the in-cessions are to come in the sweet quirer not with an isolated reason \by-and-by, a "'more convenient or two why Germany wants peace, season." 'They know that the but with many: they come in bat-"Spectator'* recently reminded iches, they grow into companies, them of their own practice they' expand into battalions. A in France in 1871, how Russian officer has recently in-they then refused to treat formed us that on the eastern except with a Government front the German army is rapidly which represented the whole of becoming one vast machine-gun France, and they feel, with some-battery. It is so elsewhere, and thing of a shiver that they them-the reason is found in the Chan-selves do not represent the whole cellor's recent historic admission of Germany just now. There is, that German reserves are giving therefore, talk in some circles, of out, and that in future the mach-danger to the dynasty. All this me must attempt what there are! while the decimation of troops not enough men to do. In con-continues, and with it, owing to trast we see what is happening in jan increasing use of married men Russia and England, where faith jof middle age, the making of still remains in ''the man behind widows and orphans goes on in a the gun."" Here then is the main constantly growing ratio. Fur-{military reason for seeking peace thermore, a8 though all this were '_Germany weakens as rapidly as not enough, there is a never-ceaa-Allies grow strong. What aping danger of additional foes. Two peals to the people at Inrge, how-nations at least, nations of differ-ver, is economic rather than milent degrees of power, but both itary pressure, and in this con-strong, might under given condi-; bexion present facts reinforce past tions join the Allies, and then the arguments. If the British block-overwhelming of the Central Pow. ade has been found so oppress cers would be utter and complete. under the somewhat slack condi-\Is there any need of comment on tions hitherto prevailing, how such facts as these? Can it be ut, when taken in much more effective is it likely to; possible that intelligent men need under the more stringent mea sures now contemplated with, it \said, the agreement of the United States? If there is shortness of supply now, with its consequent increase in the cost of living, its bankruptcy in industries, shipping, [ana finance, ite probably permanent loss of markets, its ever-growing pauperism, its depletion of labour fonds and Savings Bank to have conclusions drawn for \them? We think not, and the final contrast to which we would call attention is that provided equally by Russia, France, Belgium, and ourselves. With all of us the talk is not of peace but of war, stronger, fiercer, and more vigorous war. By such means and by such means alone can we attain to that peace which the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.