Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1918-10-19 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

HEROES IF  PEACE PROSPECTS.  Mr. S. Roebuck at Hoyland Common.  On Sunday afternoon at an open session of the Hovland Common Brotherhood, Mr. Sam Roebucic (of the Yorkshire Miners' Association) gave an address on the subject of "Peace." Councillor W. Gillis presided over a crowded audience, and Mr. Roebuck, in a thoughtful and excellently delivered address, said that a few weeks ago, optimist as he was, ho was not of the opinion that events would have passed so rapidly that .they were now all thinking of peace. The world was yearning for peace after passing through the valley and the shadow of death. In almost every land Rachael was weeping for her children: in almost every home there was the vacant chair. Mothers, with breaking hearts, were praying for their :ads; above7the thunder of the guns their cries were heard, and the world wanted peace as never before, and he was pleased for the evident signs of approaching peace. A peace, however, was wanted that was not camouflaged with future menace. They did not want a counterfeit peace, but a genuine one. When this war ends it must end with the complete overthrow of the military autocracy the world Over. lie then outlined a few principles on which a lasting peace can be based: No lasting peace, he said, can be founded on hate.. Hate was an uglier word than envy, malice, or injury. Hate wa.s deeply rooted, a settled thing, a long-continued aversion. Hate was the cause of this world war. Germany hated Britain, and she taught her children to hate. The, psychology of hate was taught in the German schools. Germany sought Britain's downfall, and intrigued to bring about her destruction. Truth and right Were immovable and omnipotent even as God himself. Germany believed Wrong against Right. They must always remember that a great people were overbalanced by the curse of hate: He believed that 'no lasting peace could be founded on injusti,ce. Germany has been guilty of ninny crimes—so many and great are her crimes that nothing in history can equal them, and no punishment that can be meted out to her can Make full reparation for those damnable crimes. When he said that no lasting- peace could be founded on injustice, he did not mean that Germany must not be punished. Germany must learn that the way of the transgressors is hard. Germany must pay her debts, but she must have opportunity to do so, and tilers must be justice and fair play. France, • Belgium, Servia, Monteneg,o, and other suffering nations must all have justice. A last peace cannot be founded on the retention of great armies. -Unless the war ended in the eomplete overthrow of: militarism it would be a failure. Peace, if it is to be lasting, must be based on disarmament. A Mailed Fist in Germany meant a • Mailed Fist in Britain. Peace must be a democratic peace, a people's peace.. He was not quite sure whether the last reply to President Wilson rang true. How could you parley 'with a murderer? How can you parley with a government which at the time they are asking for an arniistice are sinking ships, repeating the Lusitania exploit. Kaiserism must go, and the peace that they want mast be a people's f Pea ce