Evening star., 1918-02-28

considered in peace arrangements He
mentions three countries he wishes to
see restored to Turkey, namely: Ar
menia. Palestine and Mesopotamia
Position of Turkey.
Does any one think that il would
be to the interest and benefit of the
populati tionS concerned? Won Hertling
accuses us of being animated with
purely ambitious designs when we in
vaded Mesopotamia and captured Je-'
rusalem. ] suppose he would sa ythat
Russia was similarly moved when she
occupied Armenia. But when Turkey
went to war she picked quarrel with
US for purely ambitious purposes. She
was promised by Germany the posses
sion of Egypt. Would the interest and
happiness of the population of Egypt
be best conserved by Turkish conquest
of Egypt?
The Germans in the search for the
would have restored Egypt to the
worst rule the world has ever known.
They would have destroyed Arab in
dependence and abandoned Palestine to
those who had rendered it sterile all
these centuries.
How could any one preach seriously
profession of faith about the interests
of populations after this evidence of the
manner in which Won Hertling desires
to see 1t carried out? If the reichstag
have smiled when it heard the chan
cellor. dealing in that spirit with the
dominating doctrine of every important
German statesman. soldier and German
thinker for two generations at least.
So much for the four principles which
Mr.. Holt says Won Hertling accepts and
which he thinks the British government
is backward in not accepting. / hope
my short analysis may have convinced
them that there are two sides to that
question.
German Policy in East.
4 cannot, however. leave Won Hert-
ling without making some observation
upon the Russian policy which he de-
fines. That also is demonstration of
German methods. He tells us the recent
arrangements with Russia were made on
the urgent appeal of the populations for
protection against the red guard and
other bands and. therefore. undertaken
in the name of humanity. We know
that the east Is the east and the west
is the west and that the German policy
of the west is entirely different from
the German policy of the east. The
German policy in the east recently has
tiles and devastation in the interest OF
humanity. while German policy in the
west is occupied entirely in performing
atrocities and devastations.
Belgium on one side and other popu-
lations on the other? / know of no
explanation except that Germany pur-
sues her methods with remorseless in
cuse she gives for her policy.
IF she invades Belgium it is mill
tary necessity: if Courland. it is in
the interest of humanity. 1t is impos-
of humanity. international righteous
ness and equity in regard to those
populations which figure SO largely in
the speeches. l am quite unable to
in the reichstag and claim that Ger
many is waging a defensive war"
Germany's Ambitious Policy.
Secretary Balfour then contrasted
the different methods pursued by Ger
many and Great Britain in the expan-
sion of their empires, and asserted that
Germany's policy has been more de-
liberately ambitious than that of any
nation since Louis XIV.
I'VE can listen to Won Hertling's
criticism with perfect equanimity." he
added, "and we are ready to stand our
trial at the bar of history. How could
ling's speech represented the extreme
high-water mark of German conces-
sionso
Does Mr.. Holt really think that if
Won f1cTtilHS were dDlc TO CdTTy out
those conversations on the basis of the
doctrines contained in his speech
the conversations could end in any
thing but defeat? Does Holt not think
that conversations which begin and
end in discord are worse than no con-
versations at all?
Il am convinced that to begin nego-
tiations unless you see your way to
carry them through successfully would
be to commit the greatest crime against
the future peace of the world. and,
therefore, while I long for the day
when negotiations may really begin,
negotiations which must have prepara-
tion for the bringing of ideas closer
] together, do believe should be doing