WORKERS AND PEACE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2348, 14 November 1908, Page 7

WORKERS AND PEACE.

AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT

The address presented by the workers of Great Britain to the workers of Germany in September was an interesting document. It bore the signature of forty-eight, members of Parliament and over three thousand officials of British trade unions and friendly societies, and it aimed at the promotion of international peace. In the past, stated the authors of the address, wars had been caused generally by the dynastic quarrels of monarclis, the intrigues cf statesmen, religious bickerings or social prejudices. Some of these remained potent causes of mischief, but at the present time the most powerful agency for evil was “that portion of the Press which is owned and controlled by unprincipled capitalists.” The workers of Britain did not endorse the attempts to create trouble. The address made reference to the good understanding existing between Great Britain and France, and suggested that there was no reason why Germany should remain outside the friendly circle. “You, and we have no quarrel, or cause of quarrel, with one another,” it stated. “.It is., not only our desire, but our interest, that harmony between us should be unbroken, and, yet, it frequently happens that a- number of journals in both countries deliberately invent and circulate malicious statements concerning the ill-will of Germans towards us and our ill-will towards you. That feeling may be entertained by bellicose journalists and other .interested persons, but it is not shared by the workers, who extend the hand of friendship to you, the workers of Germany. \Vith the workers of Britain, I l 'ranee and Germany united in demanding that arbitration shall be substituted for war, the pernicious influence of exploiters and panic-mon-gers and their journals would be weakened, the peace of Europe would be Cess likely to be broken, and millions of money wasted oil armaments would cease to be extracted from the pockets of the toilers.” The address will probably do something to promote better feeling between the people of • Britain ami those of Germany.