Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-14
UNITED IN A COMMON CAUSE

lloyd GEORGE has spoken with a
Afrankness which he says is perhaps
brutal. We are fortunate to have In
Allied councils at this time a man with
the courage to speak with such candor.
His criticism Of Allied national leaders
who have thrown to the winds one oppor-
tunity after another to end the war will
give to the enemy "a temporary encour.
agement," as he says; but we can we'll
afford to give that encouragement II
through public confession we reach that
unity of purpose which alone can produce
victory.
All the Allied nations have been guilty
at one time or another OF what Lloyd
George calls "particularism." They have
followed their particular aims instead of
what should have been their common
purpose. After each blunder the cause
Of It was CLOSED over In the hope that
Il would be the last. The Serbian and
The Premier suggests that what has
happened In italy may be a blessing in
disguise. 'Italy's misfortune" he says,
may still save the Alliance, because with.
out II do not think that even today we
would have created veritable superior
council"
The Premier's speech Is the textbook
Tor what may be expected of the Allied
conference now to begin at Paris. Instead
Of being bound by national and profes
sionai traditions, questions of prestige
and susceptibilities, the Allied nations
must ''amalgamate all their individual
particularities to act together as If they
were one people" En''. ii and France
have suffered enough 10 make them yir-
tually one people; the United States EN-.
tered the war with utter remuneration Of
particular aims; and now Italy. who
would be helpless without French and
English troops. is forced to forget for the
time her Irredentism and join in the com.
mon defense OF civilization
Lloyd George, the Vrenrn premier, Will
son and Orlando in coun Il and Haig. Pc
tain. Pershing and Diaz N the field must
be as united In Allied purpose AMI action
rs the German and Austrian Emperors
and their staffs are in the strategy Of Cen
tral Europe. II complete Allied success
q to be achieved Where good strategy
demands strong attack on a point In the
German lines. there the four Allied com.
mands must unite to strike; and where a
weakness in the Allied defense threatens
danger. there must united reinforce
ments be sent. without the slightest con.
sideration Of national aspirations or sus.
capabilities.
Let no one think that Lloyd Georges
words do not apply to America as well as
to the other Allies. There must be more
coordination between the departments
and boards at Washington IL our Govern.
ment. as a whole, is to coordinate prop
erly in the Allied War Council The can.
dor which Lloyd George has let /, TO the
European situation, as a man let's fresh
air into a smoky room by opening all
the windows. is tonic that we need more
than we realize. A repetition OF such n
muddle as the Goethals-Denman contro.
versy must not be tolerated There must
be no hesitation over "timidites and Sis.
capabilities" in enforcing food conserva.
ton.
Lloyd Georges statement dovetails well
with the Presidents powerful appeal to
the American Federation of Labor. AL.
ready Mr.. Wilson's candor is bearing
fruit. the federation having called off
all strikes affecting Government work in
shipping, munitions and other war enter.
prises. And all citizens must subordinate
private and special interests to nationa,
unity In the same way. All must help to
expedite the procedure of getting out the
second draft contingent. Pacifism and
slackerism are not debatable. We are in
Tor heavy work that will test our mate.
rial and spiritual resources to the limi,
That disloyaity is left must not bs
argued with but crushed.