New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-05
Premier in Speech Insists
That Earth Must Be
Made Safe
Freedom for Small
Nations Demanded
German Promises Branded
as Unworthy Foundation
to Build Future On

to Build Future On
LONDON. Aug. 4.-The German gov
ernment must learn to utter the word
restoration" before the Allies can give
any countenance to a German plea for
peace. This was the keynote of the
speech made by Lloyd George at
Queens Hall.
Optimism breathed through the
Premier's speech as we'll as a grim de-
termination to "see it through
No one in any of the belligerent coun-
tries. he asserted, had any idea "how
near we are to the summit of our hope"
which he described as the elimination
of war from the tragedies of human
life and the assurance that there would
be no next time for prepared Ger
man militarism to spring upon an un-
wary and liberty-loving world.
The direct aim of the war he
phrased as a fight "to defeat the most
dangerous conspiracy ever plotted
against the liberty Of nations" and
while he admitted that war was a terri
BILE and repulsive business, he denied
that it could possibly be 80 ghastly as
a German peace"
Great Britain's Services
He pictured the world catastrophe
which would have occurred had Great
Britain remained neutral after the in
vasion Of Belgium and spoke particu-
larly of Americas Monroe Doctrine,
which would have vanished before
German world-conquest.
The meeting was held under the au-
spices of the National War Aims Com
nittee, and was probably the greatest
patriotic demonstration of the year,
marking the third anniversary of the
declaration of war. The expectation
had been that the Premier's speech
would be a most important one.
The Marquis of Crewc. leader of the
Liberal party in the House of Lords,
was chosen to preside. He was sup
ported by the Archbishop OF Canter-
bury, twenty members of the govern
ment and one hundred members OF Par
lament. Baron Sonnino, the Italian
Foreign Minister. and Nikola Pachitch,
the Serbian Premier, were invited
guests.
In the course of his speech Premier
Lloyd George said:
"Victory must be so complete that
our national liberty never again shall
be challenged. ..,
"Russia learned that an army with
out discipline is rabble.
"Thare are some here who want to
set I'D committees for the British army
and direct the conduct of the war. We
cannot allow a sectional organization
TO direct the war or to dictate the
terms of peace. The nation as a whole
made war and the nation as a whole
must make peace"
Continuing, the Premier said:
"If we sow seeds of discomfort and
disunion in the nation we shall reap de-
feat. A nation which falters before 1t
reaches its purpose will never become
great.
"No one in Great Britain, France,
italy and Russia, or even in Germany
tnd Austria, mas any idea how near we
are to-day to the summit of our hope
The Premier paid a tribute TO Italy,
whose greatness, he said, was in itself
additional security for peace and lib
crty throughout the world.
"What are the Allies fighting for?
asked the Premier. "They are fighting
TO defeat the most dangerous conspir-
acv ever plotted against the liberty OF
nations. The meeting of the represent
atives Of the Central Powers on July
5. 1914, wnen the train for war was
fred, was one of the most sinister epl-
sodes in the story of human brigand-
age.
What Might Have Happened
"What would have happened if Great
Britain had not entered the war? What
would have happened If our great navy
had not been there to keep the seas?
What would have happened if we had
not been there TO keep the ring and
see a certain measure of fair play?
What would have happened Il we had
not raised huge armies to confront the
German legions?
If you follow these questions out
you will find that Russia's demoraliza-
tion and disintegration would have
taken place before it did. The gallant
armies of France might have been over
"What kind of peace would they have
had then? IL would not have been
peace; it would have been a conquest,
a subjugation of Europe. Europe would
have been placed in servitude TO a
great, dominating power; there would
have been many nations, but one great
power. The indemnity might have
taken the form OF the surrender OF
navies, and Europe would have been at
the mercy of the worst elements OF
that dominating power.
"The Allied powers at the first mo-
ment felt instinctively that a great
menace to human liberty had appeared
on the horizon, and they accepted the
challenge America saw il and Joined
Us. That is what the Germans have
been striving against for three years,
and not without success.
German Ambitions Checked
eve have checked the ambitions OF
Germany. The nations of the world
have been climbing painfully the steps
that led 10 national independence and
self-respect. France and Great Britain
reached the platform long ago, and