Arizona republican., 1917-01-26
ARE
 TO bE LEADERS
 OF VAR COUNCIL
IRepublican A. p. Leased Wlre1

Republican A. P. Leased Wlrel
 OTTAWA, Jan. 25.-The following dispatch from London was received today by the Reuter- Telegram com pany agency here:
 Premier David Lloyd George gave an important interview today on the subject of the forthcoming imperial spondent of the Australian United Cable service The prime minister said:
 T do not wish to interfere in any way with the affairs of a great self governing dominion, but we took the step of urgently inviting the dominions' premiers to lead in the war council despite the fact that it might cause much inconvenience To- cally because we desired their advice and assistance in coming to decisions about conduct of the war and the negotiation of peace
 T regard this council as marking the beginning of new epoch in the history of the empire.
 The empire war council will deal with all general questions affecting the war. The prime ministers or their representatives will be tenn porary members of the war cabinet Nothing affecting the dominions the conduct of the war or negotiations for peace will be excluded from it's pur- view"
 Will the discussion include such matters as the fate of the German colonies2" was asked.
 That is one obvious question:" the premier replied. but there are many questions of equal moment All the different problems connected with making peace, as was stated in the governments invitation. will be threshed out. The war policy of the empire will be clearly defined and of great importance is what I may call the prepara ton for peace. That will involve not only demobilization, but such after the war questions as the migration of our people to other parts of the empire, the settlement of sol diers on the land. commerce and in dustry.
 The war is not won yet and We want to concert our efforts so that we may exert our minimum strength at the critical moment. Further, we are most anxious that during the last and most trying phase of the war the British empire may present to the world an absolutely united front. Up to the present the British government has shouldered responsibility for the policy of the war practically alone. It new wishes to know that in its measures for carrying the war to a finish and Tn it's negotiations for peace it will be carrying out policy agreed upon by representatives of the whole empire sitting in plenary council"
 What about after the war?' he was asked.
 If you mean by that constitutional reconstruction" replied Mr. LIos Il ! Fftsa# soon to tall; about after the war but 1 can say this: things can never be the same after the war as before it. Five democracics. all parts of one empire, cannot shed their blood and | treasure with a heroism and disregard of cost which has been beyond all praise without leaving memories of comradeship. and great accomplish ment will never die.
 of this l am certain: the peoples i of the empire will have found a unity in war such as never existed before a unity not only in history but of purpose. What practical change in imperial organizations that will mean do not venture to predict" Then you are sanguine about the future of the empire?"
 If we see the war through. l cer- tainlv am,' the premier answered We stand at this moment on the verge of the greatest liberation that the world has ever seen since tffe French revolution. Do you tell mt that peoples who have stood together and staked literally everything in order to bring that liberation about are. not going to find some way of perpetuating that unity after ward on an equal basis? l am certain they will.
 NC. if we endure to the end have small fears for the future And not the least important of the founda . lions for the work we shall have to ! do together in that future will be this war council of the British peoples"