Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-19
BRITISH PREMIER
TO OUTLINE VIEWS
ON PEACE TODAY
Expected to Be Most Impor-
tant Utterance Since
Beginning of War.
ALSO WILL DEFINE WHOLE
POLICY OF NEW MINISTRY
Note of Central Powers Deliv-
cred by Ambassador Page
Without Formalities.
To BE LAID BEFORE CABINET
Next Step Then Will BE to Get Into
Communication With Eng
lands Allies.
ALSO WILL DEFINE WHOLE
POLICY OF NEW MINISTRY
To BE LAID BEFORE CABINET
Next Step Then Will BE to Get Into
Communication With Eng
lands Allies.
IRy .Ns.ncint.d prrss

Isy .\sSociat.d Press
LONDON. December 1S-Thc spe.ch
OF Premier Lloyd George in the House
Tomorrow s looked forward to hv the
press and public as tho most import
ant uttcrancc Of tho kind since the
memorable speeches in which Viscount
Grey discussed whether Great Britain
would come into the war Iloyd
George has recovered from his inds-
position and was at work to-day. He
VIII rise TO address the Commons to-
morrow at about 4 o'clock. and prob
ably will speak for an hour and a
hall.
The Prime Minister'S speech will be
not only a reply to the German peace
note. but also will outline the whole
policy OF the new national government
the trend Of which may be roughly
anticipated from tho fact that the new
ministry is avowcdly IN power for the
definite object "of carrying on the war
with all the visor the nation can COM
mand to Il successful end"
To-day's news from government cir
cleS included the announcement OF the
departure of Mr.. Balfour. the Secretary
for Foreign Affairs. FOR three weeks
vacation. Although his vacation comes
/ at an important juncture, affairs are
permitted To proceed unintcrruptrdly
under the direction OF Lord Robert
, Cecil and Baron Harding, the UNDER
secretaries. while the larger questions
of general policy doubtless will receive
| the attention of the War Cabinet. over
which the Prime Minister presides. Lord
CurZon and Mtlner also being members
with wide diplomatic experience.
BAI.ToUR's ABSENCE
\ \ - IN - =. xt
| 1t is recalled that Mr.. Dalfours dcsle-
nation as Foreign Minister met with
severe criticism from the Northclitre
press, and Lord Northclnc himself
urged Lloyd George to follow the pre-
! ccdent Of Lord Salisbury In directing
| Foreign Affairs we'll as assuming
the premiership. While Mr. Balfour's
absence is said TO sc due to indisposi-
ton following illness. and there Is no
! suggestion of its being prolonged be-
yond three weeks. yet it has the effect
OF leaving the shaping of the larger
policies regarding the German note and
foreign issues largely in the hands of
the Premier.
The peace note Of the central powers
was handed to the British government
to-day by Walter Hines Page. the
American ambassador. who called at
the Foreign Office early i'm the day In
the absence of y. j. Balfour. the For
cign Secretary. he presented the note
| to Lord Robert Cecil. Under Secretary
for Foreign Affairs. There
tormalities i'm connection with tho pres
cntation OF the peace proposals by
Mr. rage. The note was incloSed i'm a
large white envelope. 1t was handed
by Ambassador Page to Lord Robert
I 81
lent made no reference to the question
OF peace. simply thanking Mr.. Page for
the transmission of the message from
the central powers
The two diplomats spent a short time
in conversation, but, as one said, I'VE
talked about everything but the con-
tents Of the envelope"
NOTE no he CONSIDERED
Bi british CABINET TO-DAY
The note will be considered by the
British Cabinet tomorrow, 1t being re-
ccived too late to-day to enable the
council to be called. The next step
after the meeting OF the Cabinet will
be TO get into communication with the
allies of Great Britain so that Joint
action may be taken. This is expected
to take at least Il week
IL has been aScertained that the note
contains no terms and the impression
prevails in official circles that until
| these arc disclosed n conference Is i'm
possible.
The presentation Of the German note
| to the entente allied governments has
now practically been accomplished.
| While the British Foreign Office was
receiving the document from Ambas-
sador Page shortly after noon, simi-
lar delivery was taking place in Paris.
The Swiss minister at Rome has pre-
sented The note of the central powers
to Italy without comment, and through
the same channel the message was pre-
sented {" Belgium and Portugal also
without comment. The Nethe rlands
minister rendered the peace proposals
10 Serbia in behalf OF Bulgaria
Prior to receipt OF the note by the
Ertsh Foreign Office, the deliveries Ia
Italy. Belgium and other countries had
permitted exchanges concerning the
exact official contents which proved to
be substantially the same as given In
the speech made in the Reichstag by
Chancellor Won Bethmann- Hollweg. and
without containing any specific indica-
ton Of the terms.
NOTE UNIFORMLY PRESENTED
WITHOUT COMMENT
Ii is also being observed i'm official
circles that the note was uniformly
presented without comment. This is
taken to indicate that Germany framed
the communication so that the neutral
Intermediates would act only as for
wardinS agents. at least at the outset. (
Premier Lloyd Georges speech in tho