Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-12-21

lAOnuO1, Dec, " l' ENCOURAGEMENT IN
the House of Commons to-day by David
Lloyd George, the new prime minister,
that the first act OF his administration
was the rejection of the proposal OF the
central powers for a peace conference
constituted one of the mNst mom"ninus
scenes which the Oldest parliamentary
veterans had ever witnessed.
The new premier declared mat boior'
the allies could give Favorable, consider
alton to such an invitation they must
know that Germany was prepared 20
accede to the allies terms, giving Com
picte restitution. full reparation and
effectual guarantee" and ITO enter a
conference upon the invitation of Ger
many procla minc herself victorious,
without any knowl.dG" Of her proposals
would be putting our heads into moose
with the end of the rope in Germany's
hands"
Mr.. Lloyd George asserted that at the
moment Germany was pcnnng the note.
asserting her convictions as to the rights
of other nations, she was dragging Bel
pians into slavery He announced that
the note presented through Washington
contained no proposals of terms, but was
para phraSc Of Chancellor Won Beth
mann iolwc2's speech. and that The al
lies had separately concluded to reject it,,
although they had informally exchanged
views. and would within few days pres
cni joint reply
Mr. Asuuiih. thc former premier sec
ondHd Mr.. Lloyd Georges decision with
even stronger words, and almost at the
Same moment Earl Curzon was informing
the lords that the government would enter
no conference that did not guarantee for
Europe the free and Independent exist
'ncc of nations treat and small. The
Marquis of Grew" Htiitmrd .hc approval
Of the members ii the late government.
The day was II doubly important ono
for the Commons. because the new pre-
mior unfoldod his program for wide
reaching war measures, and Mr.. Asquith
closed the las' chapter ri his nine
years of leadership with an accounting
of his war stewardship.
The principal feature Of Mr.. Lloyd
Georges program is "A measure for ma
tional service matching Gcrmany's lat
est scheme whereby every citizen will
be liable for enrolment. to perform work
for which the authorities considcr him
best equipped.
Arthur Neville Chamberlain, mayor 81
birmingham. and member Of tn,
famous family whose energy and bust
ness capacity arr rated high. will be di-
rector of the national service with civil
and military directors responsible to him
The premier prcfaccd his review of III,
situation by the statement that Britons
Old their best in tim" Of danger, that tn'
country should be told unpleasant facts
and that H. would give, not dark. but
a stern view of the outlook.
THE PRE.MIER'S SPEECH.
Rising in the House a few minutes after
four O'Clock, tn" prime minister said;
II appear before the House of Commons
to-day with the most terrible RESPONSE
Dility that can tail upon the shoulders al
any living man as chief adviser of the
crown, in the most gigantic war in which
this country was ever engaged. wal
upon the events of which it's destiny de
pends. II is the greatest war ever waged
the burdens are the heaviest that hav,
been cast on this or any other country
and the issues the graveSt that have beer
attached TO any conflict in which human
ity was ever involved
ALL ALLIES OF SAME MIND.
THE responsibilities of the new GOV.
eminent have been suddenly accentuatct
by the declaration made by the German
chancellor. The statement made by hin
in the Reichstag has hecn followed by (:
note presented by the United states with
out comment The answer given by thi!
government viii he given in full accorc
with all our allies
'NdNuihllN lncit mas been inter
change of views. not upon the note be
cause it has only recently arrived, bu
upon the speech which mpelled il, an,
as the note Itself is practically only
reproduction - - paraphrasc of III
speech, the Dj,ct matter .: the not
itself naT h""" discussed informally he
tween the ;l.i,. I anl Gud to be abb
10 state 'hat W. Zach separatcl}; and in
dependen'ly oriivcI q. identica! con
clusiors.
u an |ery clad that me h:s: ansWc
given to the statement OF the German
chancellor was given by France am
Russia. They have the unqucSiionnbl
right to give the first answer to such q
invitation, TIE enemy is still on Ihci
soil and :heir sacrifices raT, been III
greater.
1.-The answer ne have given has al
ready appeared in Tie papers, and ! sin
ply stand here to give clear and dellnit
support to the sta caIcnt they have M
ready made.
ANY man or SET of men who wantonl
or without sufficient cause prolonged
terrible conflict like this would have o
his soul n crime that oceans could ne
cleanse.
"On the other hand. it is equally tru
that any man or set OF men, who frol
n sense of WEAKNESS or despair abar
doned the struggle without achieving tn
high purposes for which We entered /
would be guilty of the costliest act c
poltroonery ever perpetrated by an
statesman. should like to quote tn
words of Abraham Lincoln under simila
conditions:
WAR FOR WORLD OBJECT,
1--WE accepted this war for an objec
and world object, and the war will en-
when the object Is attained under Got
] hope 1t will never end until that time
Are we likely to achieve the object b
accepting the invitation Of the Germa
chancellor? What are a the proposals
There are none
NOT READY FOR MOOSE
10 enter, on the invitation of &c
many proclaiming herself victoriou
without any knowledge of what proposa
she proposes to make, into n conferen'
is to put our heads into a moose. wit
the rope end in the hands of Germany,
This country is not altogether witho'
experience in these matters This is M
the hIst time We have fought src'
military dcspotism overwhelming Europ
and IL wont be the first time We hay
l.ll Il. TO,