Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-10
Aims of Great Britain Will
Be Told to the World by
Lloyd George, Probably
on Wednesday.
British Leaders Harken to
the Demand at Home and
Abroad for Explicit Def
milton of Purposes of the
Government.
BY ED l.. KEEN. y

London Dec. 10.-Preinier Lloyd
George will respond to the recently in
creasing popular demand for clear,
explicit definition and an up-to- date
elucidation of war aims.
There is every reason to believe he
will make such a statement within the
next few days. 1t may come in the
aouse of commSns on Wednesday.
NECESSITY MADE PLAIN.
The real necessity of such re-
statement of war aims has been made
apparent to British officialdom by sew
eral recent developments. AS eXclu-
sively told in United Press dispatches
more than 10 days ago, Colonel e. Nj.
House of the American mission, urged
on British statesmen President VIII
sons view that there should be frank,
free and joint re-pledging of war aims
by all the allies, as an important mill
tary measure. The Paris inter allied
council corcluded it's first session
without acton on this plan>
Recent plans made known to the
United Press today. however, would
indicate that Lloyd Georges speech
may be the first preliminary step to-
ward England's formal approval of
such plan.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
Necessity for a statement of war
aims has been emphasized by other
developments.
FIRST, the military political
and economic situation has chang
ed vastly because of the Russian
debacle.
SECOND, an erroneous impress
sion has been created not only in
Germany but in allied and neu-
trail nations by the letter of the
Marquis of Lansdowne.
THIRD, President Wilson's re-
declaration of Americas atruism
in the war is a challenge to Amer
icas allies for q parallel pledge.
FOURTH, may be listed as the
serious effects of persistent anti
British propaganda in the United
States.
GIVEN SERIOUS THOUGHT.
1t Is known that Lloyd George Is
considering the character of his FORTH
coming pronouncement in more earnest
thought than he has given to any pre-
vious utterance. He has been taking a
week end vacation trip. In the quiet
of his study at Walton Heath, where
his vision has not been obscured by q
desk piled up with official doc lments
Or interrupted by an unending stream
of callers, the Welsh statesman ha.
been turning the whole subject ovel
and over in his mind.
Americas urgings for a re-state-
ment of allied aims have not alone
been brought to the premier's atten
tion by Colonel House. Other well in
formed American friends, whose view
are known to carry weight with Lloyt
George have urged it. So have man.
OF his political associates. An influen
tial section of the British press ha.
been aligned behind the move.
CLEAR SIMPLE STATEMENT.
These forces all agree with the re-
cent speech of j.. H. Thomas, NJ. p, a
the Aldwych club in which he urged g;
clear, simple statement Of war aims i
urgently needed as showing conclu
sively that we are not seeking imper
ialistic objects: that we are not seek
ing aggrandizement, but rather tn
freedom Of the people Of the world"
A bad Geld forced Lloyd George t
postpone for week his speech a
Grays Inn, at the Lawyers dinner. II
may now speak his mind on the wa
aims SltuatlOu DeIoTe the HouSc VI CoHi
mons Wednesday.
REPORTED PEACE OVERTURE.
Because Of the postponement o
Lloyd Georges speech and that of Win
ston Churchill-both of which ha
been eagerly awaited as likely to out
line war aims--an unsupported peac
rumor spread here today. The rumo
had it that the allies had received ov
ertures" from theN Central Powers
There was slender basis for the re