The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-16
When the War Will End
I. iILOYD-GEORGES SPEECH AT GLASGOW
% JUNE, 1917

I though this distraction has had the
effect of postponing complete victory,
/ IL has made victory more sure than
I ever. more complete than ever. What
! is more important, Il has made surer
than ever the quality OF the victory
we will gain. What do mean when
say Il has ensured better quality
OF victory. because that Is important?
| will tell you why. There were many
7 Of us whose hearts were filled with
gloomy anxiety when we contemplat-
/ ed all the prospects of a great peace
I conference summoned TO settle the
, future OF democracy with one OF the
most powerful partners at that table
the most reactionary autocracy In the
world. remember very we'll discuss
ing the very point with one OF the
greatest OF the French statesmen, and
he had great Inlsgivings as to what
would happen now that Russia is I'M
! shackled. Russia Is free, and the rep
resentatives OF Russia at the peace
congress VIII bo representatives of a
free people, f1ghtinG for freedom. ar
I ranging the future of democracy on
the lines Of freedom. That is what
] mean when / say that not merely
Will the Russian revolution ensure
more complete victory. Il will ensure
victory of the highest and more exalt-
ed than any one could have contem-
plated before.
veutured In August, 1915, to
launch into the realms OF prophecy.
rather dangerous thing to do; but IL
YOU Will allow me will quote what l
said then about Russia. referred to
the great Russian defeat by the Ger
, man forces. The Russian armies
were broken. the Russian armies were
IN full retreat. and things looked
darker than they had ever done in
the whole course OF the war. Tho
Eastern sky is dark and lowering. the
stars have been clouded over. | re-
gard the stormy horizon with anxiety.
bat with no dread. Today l can see
the color OF a new hope beginning
20 empurple the sky. The enemy in
theAr victorious march know not what
they are doing. Let them beware for
they are unshackling Russia. With
their immense artillery they are shat
( tering the rusty bars. the letters.
from the strength OF the people of
Russia. You can hear them shaking
their powerful limbs free from the
sitting debris. and preparing for the
conflict with a new spirit They are
( hammering a sword that will destroy
them. and freeing great nation
which will WELD it with a more potent
stroke and mightier sweep than it
ever yet commanded"
Autocracy's Overthrow.
! That little speech got me into
trouble with the Russian court. hut II
! is exactly what has happened That
was the beginning of the end OF au-
tocracy. and Russia and the Russian
people felt that the system which had
brought such disaster upon them
scould not be safely entrusted In future
h -
Russia IS now free; Russia is now UNI
fettered; and when the distractions
are passed away Russia will be more
powerful, Russia will be more formid-
able than ever, because in Russia ir
future the whole Of her power will bt
cast on the side Of liberty and democ
racy, and not of autoocracy.
Meanwhile. Franco. Italy. and our
selves have to bear the greatest shar,
Of the burden. and | should like t.
say to those who hailed the Russian
revolution with delight, as well as con
demning and doing their best t,
thwart the military efforts of thei
> own country that bur ror THESE mill
tary efforts the Russian revolution
would have had no chance TO fructify
What would have happened if we ha,
not been ready. II we had not thi
great army prepared. If we had no
possessed such enormous equipment
! tell you what would have happened
Germany would have concentrated on
: desperate. effort to ovcrwhelm fire.
= democracy In France whilst Russi;
, was engaged in the troubles of he
revolution. and whilst the new democ
rary was arising in the East the oil,
democracy I'm the West. the great oil,
democracy of France. would hav
; been strangled How long do 70,
! think the new democracy. the nev
! democracy of the East. would hav
survived it? Not long. And yo,
, would have had one great outstand
ing military autocracy in Furop
governing from the East to West, an,
only these little islands standing be
tween the world and disaster.
America the Hope OF Freedom.
] would counsel those who critics
the measures we have taken T.
mobilize the strength of this countr
strong measures. ruthless measures
II you will; interfering measures. j
you Will. but measures which will ac
complish their PURPOSES woui
, counsel those who criticise. therefore
the action we have taken in mohiliz
ing the strength of this country L
dwell upon the catastrophe repea
II, the atastrophe--that would hav
befallen the free democracies through
out the world If we had not done sc
1t was Britain, the strength OF Britain
flung into the breach, that has ono
more saved Europe and human liber
ties Even during the last few weeks
when Russia was not ready, we de
feated the German army at it's strong
est and at its hoastfullest. Now rus
STA is gaining strength every day.
has got a capable, strong government
OF able. patriotic men guiding it
destlnies. Russia never had bette
government than the men who ar
now welding the power and he
armies will fight henceforth with tina
power which is inspired by freedom
; And America, always the mainsta,
and the hope Of freedom; America
who never engaged in a war yet, ex
cept for reedom--America Is begin
ming TO send her valiant sons to tn,
battlefelds OF Europe TO fight nronnt
the standards or liberty. That is VII,
say that although victory may hav.
been postponed by the events OF III,
last few months IN Russia. victor.
is more complete. victory on higher
lines than ever we could have hoped
II is assured under two conditions
The first is. the submarine attack.
must be defeated. or kept within req.
sonable bounds. They may, and prob
ably will. drive us to further restric