Evening star., 1917-12-21
GERMANS UNABLE
TOHOLD IN THE WEST

Russ Collapse Has Prevented
Decisive Defeat.
REVEALS AIMS IN WAR
By the Associated Press.
/ LONDON, December 21.-Although al
lied hopes had not been realized be-
cause of the Russian collapse, Premier
lLloyd George told the house of COM
imons yesterday that the Germans had
not been able to quite hold their own
in the west. He declared that it was
idle to pretend" that the hopes formed
at the beginning of the year in regard
to the military situation had been
| lrealized At the beginning of the year
the Russian army was better equipped
than at any period of the war, and It's
collapse was not due to unskliltui
Leadership or lack of valor on the part
| Of the troops Had the Russian army
tcontinued to collaborate with sthe
| nslo-French and Italian armies IN
jpressing the Germans we shouid nave
| been able to bring such pressure on
| the Prussian army as TO lhhicl oeei-.
| sive defeat upon them.
| On the western front the Germans
lhad been beaten in many battles. Inc
premier declared they had lose loo'ooo
iprisoners valuable ground ana nun
dreds of guns. While the campaign IN
France had not realized the eApec.a
| tions formed. there had been military
successes which he ventured to say
would have a permanen effect on the
future of the world. The premier said
| he referred to the capture OF Bagdad
and Jerusalem, adding
Owes Much to '1Side Shows"
"These two great events added more
| to the prestige OF urea. sxsnt
| in the whole course of the war good
| deal has been said about side SHOWS,
| but Great Britain owes good oeai 10
these
fact that the aggregate shipbuilding at
the present, when millions OF persons
were taken from labor, was above the
boom year of 1913, and declared II was
a very credftab1e performance
InteralIed Council.
The nrenier said that at the inter
allied council there would be discussed
and decided questions which Would
have a greater effect on international
relations than any one could imagine
So far it had been a conspicuous sue
cess: it had been free from factionai
feeling and had helped to remove 1rfc-
ton. The various countries have Iouno
that 1t means the removal OF Irictlon N
discussing and interchanging views,
and he had no doubt it would have
great influence in the direction of the
economic policy of the four govern
ments represented, The machinery es-
ia ablished at Versailles would have po-
tent influence in unifying the war and
economic strategy of the allies.
Reserve Power Greater.
what are the prospects," asked the
premier, Frances losses. no doubt.
have been serious; despite the reverses
which Italy has endured, their losses
are not to be compared with those OF
Austria, and, despite the losses fnfficted
on US. the permanent loss to the Brit
ish army is not more than one-fourth
or one-fifth the permanent losses en-
.dured by the Germans If we take the
reserve man power of the nations allied
against Germany 1t will be found to be
more than twice as great as that OF
Germany and her allies.
Since Russia had entered into sepa-
rate peace negotiations, Mr.. Lloyd
George declared, she must be respon-
sible for the protection of her own ter
ritory, and that also disposed OF any
question there was about CONSTANT
.nople. He continued:
1--WE have conquered no country where
the population belonged to the govern
ing race. We have not acquired sin
gle yard Of territory where there is
German population. With regard to
the captured German colonies the peace
must settle about them on
the principle of respecting the desires
of the people of those colonies them
selves We have laid that down and
we stand by it.
Entered War for Honor.
1--WE did not enter the war to annex a
single yard Of anybodys territory We
entered the war because we believed that
the honor Of Britain was involved in
standing by her word.
The premier declared that the war was
forced upon the world by the arrogance
Of the military caste in Prussia, which,
ne added, were prepared to overthrow
their own ruler and set up another, who
was more in sympathy with their aims.
Until that temper is broken there can
never be peace in the world. That is why
we said-whether it was President Wilson
or Mr.. Asquith-that victory was essen
low vindictive sense In the human ma
ture merely to punish, but because we
realized that victory was the only. thing
that could give reality to peace terms. A
represented by military caste trium-
phant, would be a hollow farce. The
people Of Germany must be heard. That
liz why victory itself is mere important
than mere terms.
Victory alone viii give reality to terms,
and that is also the reason why the gov
ernment. after mature reflection, decided
to ask to be equipped with greater pow
ers to enable us to increase the means
we needed
Lauds Wilson Policies
in nnfnndinn tho Airnc