Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-27
PROTESTS MOTION
 IN HOUSE OF COMMONS
Declares Allies Should Accept the
 Russian Proposal.

London, July z6.-A little group of pacif1sts instituted a debate in the house of commons this afternoon by introducing a resolution declaring that the German reiChStag resolution fa- voring peace by an understanding ex- pressed the principles for which Great Britain stood throughout, and calling on the government, Tn conjunction terms accordingly. Further the reso- lutfon declares that the allies should accept the Russian proposal that the forthcoming allied conference on the war aims should comprise represen- tatives of the people and not solely spokesmen of the government. The resolution was moved by James Ramsay Macdonald, socialist and la bor member for Leicester. and was supported by Charles P. Trevelyan,
 Liberal, Hastings B. Lees-Smith. Lib
 eral. Philip Snowden, socialist, and
 Arthur A. Ponsonby. Liberty.
 Mir. Mcdonald agreed that his res
 olution expressed the opinion of only
 q small minority, but he contended
 that this minority was ever growing.
 Stockholm had borne it's fruit, the
 allied conference would bear more,
 and the international conference would
 bear still more fruit. Such a confer
 ence would find out that the time had
 come for an active effort for peace
 and it would find a peace that would
 not be disturbed by preparations for
 war
 Charles P TreceIyan, who seconded
 the resolution, agreed in condemning the uncertainty in the speech of the German chancellor, Dr. Michaelis, and said that they were all agreed that peace awaited the restoration of Bel gfum and France. without any econo- mic or other conditions. He also doubted whether there could be peace until all the governments clearly and expressly repudiated the idea of con- Q mi be the duty of the government to re- ply to the German chancellor, it was the duty of the house of commons to reply to the reichStag resolution. Dr. Michaelis' speech was made on that resolution and the fact that he did not speak against it or try to persuade the reichstag from passing it ought not to be overlooked.
 The house of commons. after eTn- ploying the whole evening session in a discussion of the peace resolution, moved by James Ramsay Macdonald, socialist, and labor member, defeated it by a vote of 14S to 19. The an- nouncement of the figures was receiv- ed with some cheers and much laugh ter.
 The smallness of the numbers in the house when division was taken in an indication of the little interest shown by parliament in any hope of a useful peace movement at the pres ent juncture, and the conviction was NOlCeo III an important statement by Herbert H. Asquith, the former re mier. that nothing was to be hoped from the present temper of the Ger man reichstag and people.
 The speech of Andrew Bonar Law, the government leader in the house, dealt largely with the Russian crisis. He said that all the nations engaged were staggering under tl1e blow, but that the resources of the allies were sufficient to make it absolutely cer- tain that unless their hearts failed Ihem, they must secure the results for which they entered the war The struggle had reached a point where it was question of staying pat and in this matter he had absolute confidence n the allies
 Philip Snowden, socialist, said the debate disclosed that the British gov more than any other bel | lgerent, was standing in the way of Tn early settlement He protested l against more blood being shed to re- store Alsace-Lorraine to France.