The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-30
LANSDOWNE
FIRES BOETBSHELL
CONTINUED from page ID

] country for a clear statement of wa
aims. Accusing discussion Of thl
subject is step toward realizatio
D OF President Wilson's wishes Blu
I it is frankly stated here that such
) statement of aims would be on ia
; different platform than that pre-
scented by Lansdowne.
Americas Attitude.
IBy J. w. T. Mason, Written for tn
United Press.l
NEW YORK, Nov. 30-America'!
attitude toward Lord Lansdowne':
plea for restatement of the allies
peace terms will determine whether
J the end of the war has been brough,
nearer by the spirit of the conserva
tive leader in the house OF lords.
1t is no secret that President VIII
son desires that formal statement
of the allies terms be made as the re
suit of the present Paris conference.
But there is a possible difference be-
tween President Wilson and Lord
Lansdowne, that may make their views
Iirreconcilab1e. The presidents reply
to the pope's peace proposal declared
that the United States could not take
the word Of the present rulers OF Ger
many in peace negotiations. Iord
Transformers statement is capable OF
Interpretation that he is willing to do
so. This point marks a divergence be-
tween the Lansdowne spirit and the
Wilson spirit. Nevertheless Lord
Lansdowne's open support of re-
statement of the allies war aims, in
dictates that the American delegates
to the Paris conference will probably
In VOW n y,1a n11hliplV
on record exactly what democratic ma
tons of the world are fighting for.
Announcement Of this character
would fall In with Lord Lansdowne's
proposal, but it need not follow his
suggestion to the end. President Will
sons purpose would doubtless be
served if the allies were formally to
declare that their terms were subject
to negotiations only with representa-
tives of German people, responsible to
the reichstag and not with agents re-
sponsible solely to the kaiser.
Lord Lansdowne's declaration I'M
questionably comes at an opportune
moment for the new Russian govern
ment. 1t can readily be interpreted
as justifying the peace movement
within Russia. In this respect Lord
Lansdowne's influence may serve to
check the growing attitude of servity
in certain allied circles towards the
embarra ssments the revolution is en-
countering.
II by chance, peace by negotiation
should come suddenly, it would place
in a difficult position extreme critics
of the trend Of the Russian affairs.
This point of view apparently is re-
ceiving attention from the American
diplomats to the Paris conference.
Not English Ideals.
IBy Ed. l.. Keen, United Press Staff
Correspondent
LONDON, Nov. 80. - America
should know Immediately that the
Marquis of Transformers suggestion
of REIMBURSEMENT Of certain original
war aims 30 as to negotiate peace
before Germany is beaten, does not
represent any responsible section of
British public opinion.
That fact was made emphatically
apparent here today in aftermath
comment on what most circles
characterized as the former minis
ter amazing communication to the
Daily Telegraph.
Best information Is that the mar
quis acted solely on his own personal
Initiative. He did not consult his
former unionist colleges. Many of
them today expressed sincere regret
over Lansdowne's suggestion that
peace should even be considered be-
fore the ideals for which thousands
Of British and French lives have
been sacrificed, could be realized.
The Daily News. which has long
shown pacifist tendencies, was the
only morning paper to approve Lans-
downe's letter without qualification
Other papers condemn his sugges-
tons wholly or in part. The letter
is regarded as deplorable, owing to
the encouragemen t it will undoubt-
eddy give the enemy.
Summarized the Marquis of Lans-
downe proposed that the allies restate
their war aims in this general line
That the allies do not desire ami |
hilation Of Germany as a great power |
That there is no desire to impose |
on her people any form of government |
other than that Of their own choice.
That except as legitimate war |
measure there is no desire to deny |
Germany her place among the great |
commercial nations OF the world.
That the allies are prepared when |
war is concluded, to examine sin con-
cert with other powers" group of in
.ernational problems some of them of |
recent origin, which are connected |
with question of freedom Of seas.
That the allies are prepared to en-
.er into an international pact under |
which ample opportunities are afford
I'd for settlements Of international dis
outes by peaceful means.