Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-01
BRITISH LEADERS
DISAVOWLETTER
OF LANSDOWNE
Not Only Government, but
Marquis Party Condemn
Peace Suggestion

London, Dec. Lord Robert
Cecil, minister of blockade, in his
weekly talk with the Associated Press
yesterday, emphatically declared that
the Marquis of Lansdowne in writing
a letter containing peace suggestions
was not speaking for any important
body of opinion in England.
THE most important thing to say
in regard to Lansdowne's letter"
Lord Roberts said, ''is that he spoke
only for himself. Before writing 1t,
he did not consult or have any COM
munication with any member of the
government, and the members of the
government read the letter in the
newspaper with as much surprise as
anybody else.
"It does not represent our views
nor has there been any change or
modification in the slightest degree
in the war policy of this country.
Our policy is still what it always has
been and as described by the author
lied spokesmen of the country, name
ly, Premier Lloyd George, Asquith,
Bonar Law and Balfour. 1t has been
put in different words by them. but
perhaps is best summed up in the
recent utterance of Premier Clemen-
ceau-that the war aim for which we
are fighting is victory"
The Evening News says that at a
representative meeting of the Union
list party yesterday Chancellor Bondr
Law very strongly repudiated Lord
Lansdowne's letter, describing it is y
disaster"
The chancellor further declared
that the views expressed by Lans-
downe were not the views of any OF
~, L., nif In
or out of it. A strongly worded reso-
luton condemning the publication OF
the letter was adopted at the meet
ing and cabled to Paris to the Inter-
Allied Conference now being held
there.
Lord Lansdowne's letter holds first
place in the editorial columns OF
London newspapers, but with the eX-
ception OF the radical Daily News,
which approves it, and the moderate
Daily Telegraph, which endorses 1t In
part, it is denounced.
The Manchester Guardian consid-
ers Lord Lansdowne's letter a de-
liberate challenge for a restatement
of war aims and for the adoption of
such a statement by all the allies. 1t
characterizes this as wise endeavor
which is bound to receive serious
consideration.
The newspapers in Germany pup
lish the letter on their front pages,
telegraphs the Amsterdam corre-
spondent of the Exchange Telegraph
Company. The German newspapers
consider it "a beginning of England
getting reasonable"
Germany Calls It "FecIer'
The letter, the correspondent adds,
has caused general satisfaction in
Germany. where it is regarded as q
semiofficial feeler."
Lord Lansdowne's great reputa-
ton and past services to the country,
are recognized by the hostile critics
here, who, however, fear that these
add to the mischief which they be-
lieve the letter will cause by mis-
leading America and other foreign
opinion into the belief that the views
expressed represent an important
section of the nation. Such belief
| they declared, would utterly be mis-
taken, and some insist that Lord
Lansdowne is speaking solely fol
himself, while others assert that he
has placed the prestige of great
name at the service OF the pacifists.
Insistence is general that he could
not have chosen worse time tC
launch the letter than when Ger,
many is dickering a peace with the
Leninites, the Inter-Allied Confer.
ence meeting in Paris and enemy
agents trying to induce the Italiar
army to abandon the fight.