" Unconditional "
The reply of the Prime Minister to a question in the House of Commons on Tuesday regarding a possible modification of the unconditional surrender demanded of Germany was uncompromis- ing. Neither the House of Commons nor the Allied Powers, said Ms. Churchill, would tolerate a negotiated peace. That is perfectly true. Any idea of negotiation as condition of an armistice must be ruled out. But is that all that can be said, or needs to be said, on the subject? " Fall into the hands of God, not into the hands of
Spain," Sir Richard Grenville issailegell-to4.iave_the Gtrmans may well feel something similar, and meet the demand for " un- conditional surrender " with the obdurate resolve " no surrender." It is plainly worth while to make it clear to every German that though Germany must put herself unconditionally in the Allies' hands that will not mean that she will risk either destruction or enslavement, but that treatment broadly in accordance with the Atlantic Charter will be accorded her. The Republican Senator Wheeler, whose apparent advance from isolationism is creating con- siderable interest in Washington, put that point of view clearly when he said on Monday that there could be no peace by negotia- tion, but that the psychological assault on the German people could be intensified, and the German morale weakened, by a statement of the Allied plans for post-war Germany. Such a statement cou'd only, at this juncture, be of the broadest character, but it might none the less have considerable effect. The moment is propitious in view of the alarm the Russian onslaught is creating in Berlin. The issue of a considered proclamation by the three heads of States at their impending meeting might yield results as important as any military operations could. There is evidence that many German prisoners have seriously believed that the intention of the Allies is to treat Germany in such a way as virtually to end her existence as an independent nation. Some endeavour ought to be made to get the truth on this matter into Germany.
