Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-21

great bitterness, the arrogant spirit
Of the Prussian military caste will not
be as dominant as. ever if we patch |
up peace now? The very speech in
which these peace suggestions are
made resounds to the hearts of Prus-
sian military triumph. 1t is long
paen over the victory of Won linden
burg.
"We must keep a steadfast eye upon
the principles for which we entered
the war; otherwise the great sacri-
fees we have been making will be in
vain.
1.-The allies entered this war to de-
fend Europe against the aggression
OF Prussian military domination and,
having begun it, they must insist that
the only end is the most complete
effective guarantee against the possi-
bility of that caste ever again dis.
turbing the peace of Europe. Prussia
since she got into the hands of that
caste, has been n bad neighbor. AFRO
giant, threatening, bullying, shifting
her boundaries at her will and taking
one fair field after another from her
weaker neighbors and adding them to
her own dominions.
with her belt ostentatiously full
of weapons of offense and ready at
& moments notice to use them, she
has always been an unpleasant. dis
turbing neighbor in Europe. She got
thoroughly on the nerve of Europe;
there was no peace near where she
dwelt 1t is difficult for those who
are fortunate enough to live thous-
ands of miles away to understand
what it has meant to those who live
near
Even here. with the protection Of
the broad seas between us. we know
what 4 disturbing factor the Prussians
were with their constant naval men
ace. But we can hardly realize what
it meant to France and Russia. Sew
cral times there were threats directed
against them even within the lifetime
of this generation which presented the
alternative of war or humiliation.
There were many of us who hoped
that the internal influence in Ger
many would be strong enough to check
and ultimately to eliminate it.
Now that this great war has been
forced by the Prussian leaders, it
would be folly not to see to it that
this swashbuckling through the streets
of Europe and this disturbance Of
peaceful citizens was dealt with here
and now as the most serious Offense
against the law of nations.
I'VE will wait until we hear what
terms and guarantees the German gov
| ernment offer other than those, bet
! ter than those, surer than those which
| she so lightly broke. And meanwhile
we shall put our trust in our unbrOken
faith rather than in broken faith.
For the moment l do not think
it would be advisable for me to add
anything upon this particular invita-.
ton. A formal reply will be delivered
by the allies in the course of the next
| few days"
The premier's peroration was as fol
lows:
"If in this war l have paid scant
heed to the call of party it is because
I realized from the moment the Prus
sian cannon hurled death at peace
able and inoffensive little country thai
a challenge had been sent to civiliza
ton to decide an issue higher thar
party, deeper than party, wider thar
all parties; an issue, upon the settle
ment Of which will depend the fate
Of the men in this world for genera
tions, when existing parties will have
fallen like dead leaves on the high
way.
Those Issues are the issues l wan
to keep in front of the nation, so tina
we shall not falter or faint in our resC
lutions.
"There is a time in every prolonge
and fierce war when in the passion o
| rnu NJ cnnHiof f0rOnf tho hiU
purpose with which they entered II
, This is a struggle for internations
! right, international honor, interns
which peace, honor and good will mus
flow among men.
"The entertainments laboriously bull
/ up by generations of men against bal
barism have been broken and had nc
) the might of Britain passed into tn
> breach Europe would have been inul
) dated with flood of savagery and III
, bridled lust for power.
! Il tried once to remove the misul
}. derstanding between England and Ir
: land. l was drenched with suspicio
of Irishmen by Englishmen and I
t Englishmen by Irishmen, and, wors
( and most fatal of all, suspicion
4 | lIlSnItleIl Vi lIlSllIueH. IL WdS uud
a mire of distrust which clogged m
|. foot steps and made progress impo
s sible.
n "The policy of common fro1
7 must be reality. 1t is on the 9TH
Q side. Austrian guns are helping Il
Q German infantry and German infantl
S is stiffening the Austrian arms. TT
a Turks are helping the Germans, Au
d trians and Bulgarians mix with all
When the premier entered the hou
(? he was cheered enthusiastically fro
,f ali quarters. Mr.. Asquith, who ente
=? ed moment later, also was cheer'
, loudly by the liberals.
II Mr.. Lloyd George after dealing wi
d the peace problem touched upon Il
l. general policy which would be inaug
ID rated by the new government. Wi
Is respect to the question Of food su
% plies he said:
i. "The main facts are plain. The hs
IL vests of the United States and Cana,
1t are failures and the Argentine pro-
N ises badly. Under these circu
Is stances the late government decid
,r to appoint food controller.
"We appeal to the nation to ASST
.e the government in distributing o
st resources so that no man shall suff
,r hunger because somebody else has t.