Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-17
Unable to Negotiate Now.

Unable to Negotiate Now. =
; Lord Robert Cecil on behalf of the
government and Mr.. Asquith were :eB,-,
phatic in their statements that 1t was
impossible at the present stage to en-
ter into negotiations with GERMANY
and declared that the war; aims of sthe
entente allies as previously announced
still held good. =.
With regard to Mr.. Snowden's ,ques-
ton as to whether treaties concluded
still binding, Lord Robert said he
thought that doubtless they were. Tn
til the new Russian government re-
leased the allies from any particular
engagement entered into with the old
government Great Britain was hound
in honor to carry out her engagements;
not only with Russia, but with all the
allies. ---.
Paying warm tribute to the manner
in which the Russian revolution had
been brought about, Lord Robert, COM
menting on the socialist plan for peace
without annexation, alluded to the Ger
man colonies.
while it is true" he said, that we
did not take them in order to rescue
the natives from German rule, but as
part of the war operations. having res
cued them. are we going to hand them
back?" (Cheers.) =
He then read a long account of the
shocking treatment suffered by the ma
German West Africa, and said:
''1f there is any. measure of success
in the war, should regard with horror
the idea of returning natives who have
been freed from government of that
kind"
As to Other Sections.
Then there were Poland, Alsace -Lor-
raine and Italia irredenta. Could Great
Britain commit herself to a policy Of
4
Robert referred to Turkish cruelty and
oppression in. Arabia. Armenia and
Syria and said he wished to impress
upon Mr.. Snowden and his friends that
while there might not be good ground
for going to war to accomplish acts of
reparation and justice.,yet, having done
that by war. the nation could hardlj ).
be asked to abandon the fruits of such
desirable achievements.
Then what about Belgium. Serbia and
northern France and the destruction of
peaceful merchant ships? Was there
to be no reparation? He ridiculed the
suggestion that the allies should enter
into peace negotiations with Germany.
He found no indication in the German
chancellor's speech of ain inclination
even to- state the terms of peace Ger
many was ready to accept, and until
the spirit which characterized the
chancellor's speech was exercised it
would be ludicrouss and undignified on
the part OF the allies to discuss terms
with Germany.
So far as he was able to judge. the
same thing had happened to Germany
as had often happened before. There
was "a. popular movement and a popu-
lar demand for reform. and an appear
ance of yielding by the government.
Then followed a-,.protest, generally
couched in offensive terms. by the junk
ers, and then an Immediate surrender
to the junkers. 10 is~
Durable Peace Desired.
eve. at any rate,". said Lord Robert.
ARE determined not to accept peace
that will be no peace. The peace that
we accept must be a peace that will
be durable ! have always been an
adherent of the idea of a league Of
nations. but such league >must be
founded upon sound. just and eaui-
Mr.. Asquith also. said he regretted
the resolution, had been showed in such
form that it, must he rejected, If the
war was to end, in an, honorable peace
there must be annexation, constituting
the emancipation of, the ehthralled
populations who we're laboring under
positions as .safegnArds against future
attacks. might, be necessary. -:
War Aims; Not Changed,
when the Russian government asks
us to join them in a instrumentation
policy it must be in the limited sense
of no acquisition or extensionsof ter
| ritory for political or economical ag
grandizement," said Mr.. Asquith. "Our
| war aims have not changed. and as long
as we confine ourselves within these
! limits we can pursue the war with a
good conscience and regard a peace
based on that foundation as the only
peace which will justify our sacrifice.
THE German chancellor's speech
| shows that those responsible for the
German policy have abandoned the
| counsels of moderation and reason and
are determined to pursue the wicked
and nefarious course they entered upon
three years ago. So long as that is the
| case We cannot falter or relax by a
hairs breadth our determination to
pursue the war to a victorious end"