Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-21
PREMIER LLOYD GEORGE FORCl
BLY, PRESENTS TO WORLD THE
CAUSE FOR WHICH THE
ALLIES ARE FIGHTING.
MUST ACCEDE TO Allies TERMS
Premier Declares, ITO Enter Con.
ference Upon the Invitation of Ger.
many Proclaimng Herself Victori.
Gus, Without knowledge of Her Pro.
posals, Would Be Putting Our Heads
in Moose With the End of the Rope
in Germany's Hands,"

LONDON, Dec. 19-The announce
ment in the house Of commons today
by David Lloyd George, the new prime
minister, that the first act Of his ad-
ministration was the rejection of the
proposal Of the central powers for
peace conference. constituted one
Of the most momentous scenes which
the oldest parliamentary veteran had
ever witnessed.
The new premier declared that be-
fore the allies could give favorable
| consideration to such an invitation
they must know that Germany was
prepared to accede to the allies terms,
giving complete restitution, full re-
paration and effectual guarantees"
and ito enter conference upon the
invitation of Germany proclaiming her
self victorious. without any knowledge
of her proposals, would be putting our
heads into a moose with the end Of
the rope in Germanys hands"
Mr.. Lloyd George asserted that at
the moment Germany was penning the
note, assuring her convictions as to
the rights of other nations, she was
dragging Belgium into slavery. He
announced that the note presented
through Washington contained no
proposals of terms, but was para
phrase of Chancellor Won Bethmann.
Hollweg's speech and that the allies
had separately concluded to reject it,
although they had Informally eX-
changed views and would within a
few days present joint reply.
Mr.. Asquith, the former premier,
seconded Mr.. Lloyd Georges decision
with even stronger words and almost
at the same moment Earl Curzon was
informing the lords that the govern
ment would enter no conference that
did not guarantee for Europe the free
and independent existence of nations
great and small. The Marquis OF
Crewe confirmed the approval of the
members of the late government.
The day was doubly important one
for the commons because the new pre-
mier unfolded his program for wide
reaching war measure and MIR. Asquitl
closed the last chapter of his nine
years of leadership with an account
ing Of his war stewardship.
The principal feature of Mr.. Lloyt
Georges program is a measure fo
national service, matching Germans
latest scheme whereby every citizel
will be liable for enrolment, to per
form work for which the authorities
consider him best equipped.
Arthur Neville Chamberlain, mayo
of Birmingham, and member of th'
famous family whose energy an,
, business capacity are rated high, will
y be director of the national service
ri, rr
:, sponsible to him.
y The premier prefaced his review O
, the situation by the statement tha
>. Britons did their best in time of dar
ger, that the country should be toll
unpleasant facts and that he woul
give, not dark, but stern view G
the outlook
!, Rising in the house few minute
G after O'Clock. the prime ministe
t. said:
f. 81 appear before the house of con
o mons today with the most terrible n
sponsibility that can fall upon tn
N shoulders of any living man as chic
" adviser to the crown. in the most g
n. gantic war in which this country wa
n, ever engaged, war upon the event
~ of which it's destiny depends. 1t
:" the greatest war ever waged; the bu
dens are the heaviest that have bee
e. cast upon this or any other countr
e. and the issues the grayest that ha,
o. been attached to any conflict in whit
m humanity was ever involved.
ry 1.-The possibilities of the ne
st government have been suddenly a
centuated by the declaration made |
IT, the German chancellor. The stat
IN ment made by him in the reichst;
e. has been followed by note presentt
by the United States without note