The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-07
AIMS OF ALLIES
REITERATED BY
LORD BALFOUR
Are Neither Imperialists
Nor Vindictive Says
Foreign Secretary
REPLIES TO
PEACE MOTION
"Never Was The Object to
Take Admittedly Ger
man Territory"
1Rv Associated Presnl

London, Nov. IA. j. BalToaT,
secretary for foreign affairs. replying
in the house of commons yesterday
to a peace motion proposed by II. b.
Lees Smith, Liberal member for
Northampton declared:
The aims for which Great Britain
entered the war are not either i'm
perialistic or vindictive, but one and
all are needed for the double purpose
Of the emancipation and security OF
Europe.
Mr.. Balfour asked the house to
show by an Overwhelming majority
that: We believe in the cause in
which we are struggling and which
we know we can bring to a success
full termination. Great as are the
sacrifices already made. we are ready
to continue them and continue them
indefinitely until the great, righteous
and unselfish objects we have in
view are finally secured.
Andrew Bonar Law, chancellor or
the exchequer. amid loud cheers,
moved closure, which was carried,
2S2 to 80.
Mr.. Lees Smiths motion was then
negatived without division.
Mr.. Lees Smith advocated league
of nations and the abandonment OF
the Paris conference resolutions and
imperialistic designs in all parts Of
the world. He contended that 1t
would be impossible to get peace
without a solution Of the Alsace-
Lorraine problem which both sides
would be willing to accept, and in
conclusion pleaded for a conference
for the discussion Of peace terms.
No Secret Treaties.
Mr.. Balfour expressed the opinion
that discussions of this kind did lit
tie to attain an honorable peace at
the earliest possible date. He ridi-
culed the idea that secret treaties
existed.
He regretted that Mr.. Lees-Smith
had used such an argument, which
would be repeated in Germany with
out contradiction and which had for
it's basis that the allies aims were
not those they had loudly proclaim
ed, of freeing small nationalities and
making the constitution Of the states
in Europe as far as possible harmon
ious with the wishes Of the inhabit-
ants.
1T never was and is not the object
Of the allies to take from the Ger
man empire admittedly German ter
ritory', said Mr.. Balfour But OF
course the allies desire the restitu-
ton of Alsace- Lorraine to France.
We are fighting. in the first place,
that Europe might be free from the
perpetual menace of the military
party in Germany.
Not Europe Alone.
1t was not Europe alone to be con-
sidered, he declared, and asked
whether the movers of the amend
ment and their party had no care for
the misgovernment and the most
brutal and barbarous cruelty in Ar
menia, and Arabia. The paeifist
members, he said. seemed to think
that all these matters could be salts
factorily settled IL they could only
bring the European powers to talk
together around a table.
Mr.. Balfour declared that for mem
hers of parliament to forget the Of
fetal statements Of IN government
about the war aims Of the allies and
them in parliament, |
was "one Of the greatest dis services |
any man could render his country at |
this time.
In examining the situation, the |
secretary said. the psychology of the !
German people must be considered. |
II was not prejudice to say that the |
Germans had an entirely different |
view of International morality and
the rights and duties of a powerful |
state from any other community in |
the world. While that remained un-
changed, 1t was quite impossible for |
other nations to sleep comfortably in |
their beds.