New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-16
Lloyd George Seems to
Have Driven DeeperWe edge
in British Politics
NorthcIiHe Stands BY
Showdown on War Aims Pre-
dicted for Parliament SEES
sion on Wednesday
By Arthur S. Draper


LONDON, Dec. 15.--Tnstead of solid
ifying the nation, Lloyd George has
succeeded in drawing a sharper line
OF distinction between the two schools
of thought if the comments on ms
speech may be taken as indicative o.
the whole country's feeling.
Perhaps this is an advantage, for
it is better to have two opposite camps
rather than three, the third OF which IS
composed Of a Mugwump aggregation
Hailed As Tonic
All the NorthclifFe organs hail the
Premier's utterance as strong tome
calculated to inspire the people, loI
the great task now confronting theh'
So do the "Morning Post" and the
Globe" but the Daily News, Eyen,
ing Star" and Manchester Guardian
find little or nothing IN II WIN "h'S"
they are in agreement.
A lively little debate IN Parliament
Fridav which revolved around the
question Of war aims and SIT bd"sro
Carson's war propaganda, furnlsheo
hint Of what may be expected OF ehe
real discussion Wednesday when an
effort will be made to commit the gov
ornment on its war policy. ~ IS al
most a certainty next week VIII orlng
a showdown on the question or war
aims. On Wednesday considerable
number of moderates who are NOT
classed with the pacifists will take
part in the debate in the House OF
Commons.
II is playing ostrich to ignore the
growth of moderate opinion since the
Lansdowne letter, and it is equally FOOL
ish TO regard the British political stu,
alton as stable and satisfactory. Until
the showdown comes Great Britain VIII
not be in a position to shoulder her
Tremendous task with the highest de-
gree of efficiency. .
In fact. the two different schools OF
opinion must not be Interpreted as
meaning one wants 10 fight and the
other wants 20 quit. Both Will carry
on. but they differ on the question OF
what constitutes victory and on the
best way of attaining il. =,
Because the Manchester Guardian
is extremely friendly TO Lloyd George.
personally. and il much the falrest or
his critics, the following extract from
its editorial may be taken as repre-
sentative Of moderate opinion;
"Lloyd George made a. very char
acteristic and very spirited speech yes
terday, but he began with an evasion
of Lord Lansdownes challenge, and
went through 70 the end with con-
fusion Of thought which vitiated his
argument.
Lord Lansdowne's letter was inter-
preted by his opponents as an invita-
ton To the country 10 initiate over
lures for peace at time of great dis
advantage: it was interpreted by his
friends. who included all those who
took the trouble to understand II, as
an invitation TO define our war aims,
with a view to its speedler and more
effective prosecution to a successful
end. .s1.fs
Evades the Challenge
Lloyd George leans to the former
INTERPRETATION, and thereby rides oil
from the challenge which the letter
contains. lie tells US we must have
victory first, and so say all Of US. But
what is victory? Victory Is to compel
our enemy 20 to conform to our Will.
What then is our will? That is what
Lord Lansdowne asks. He urges us
that we should express our will in
stated terms, and he argues that to
state them accurately and without
rhetoric deadly weapon by which
in war time men slay their own friends
is 70 forge war weapon, or to de-
prive the enemy of one. Rhetoric
apart. that is the cold fact. For who
is our real enemy? Lloyd George, if
he doesn't agree with Lansdowne, says
explicitly he does agree with President
Wilson.
Wilson Clear on Point
"Now. if there is one point upon
which the President has been clear and
definite and consistent, it is that our
enemy-the common enemy of the
worlds the Prussian military au-
tocracy. Against that autocracy the
German people itself is in incipient
revolt, as evidenced by the Leipsic
elections, where only the other day the
Socialists of the pacitist party swept
the town. Against that autocracy Aus
tria is in passionate internal revolt,
and even her statesmen send from time
to time s S signals to the Entente,
which meet with no reply"
Much significance is attached TO the
following words from "rhe West
minister Gazette" Asquith's organ:
The Lansdowne controversy would
have served an important purpose II
it had done no more than to draw this
declaration, for with important mem
bers Of the government talking con-
temptuously of league of nations and
suggesting that they do not contemplate
the after-the-war conditions which the
President condemns, il was most de-
sirable that we should have a declara-
ton from the Prime Minister that The
government is in full agreement with
the Presidents aims. This We have
got, and 1t helps materially 20 de-
fine the situation"