New Britain herald., 1918-08-01
LANSD0WNE URGES
 DEBATE ON TERMS
England's Leading PaCihSt Again
 Steps Into LimeIight

conference of his supporters late yesterday. This latest utterance pro- poses no new policy. It consists large y of criticism of the Allies for their failure to state their war aims more specifically and urges them to take advantage of any opportunity for n discussion Of terms.
 The chief importance of Lord Lansdovne's letter is that he is the only British statesman of first rank who IS listed in his own country and abroad. whether correctly or other wise, as pasifst and his words win receive the greatest publicity in the countries of the Central Powers, where 1t is insisted they represent a powerful portion of British thought.
 Earl Beauchamp presided over the conference. and Baron Buckmaster, former lord chancellor, and a few pacifst member Of the lords and commons attended A sympathetic letter from Arthur Henderson, the labor leader in the house of com mons, was read Lord Buckmaster said:
 My complaint is that whenever 8 reasona ble suggestion of peace is made on the part Of Germany it is always rejected in this country on the ground that it is insincere. The people should insist that all offers of peace be made public. l am uneasy lest the aims for which we entered the war are not the aims for which we are continuing it.
 The new Lansdowne letter has been apatheticaIly received in political circles. The general parliamentary opinion is said to be well summarized ln the comment of one member of the house of commons: "The letter is simply an elongation of Lands dowre's previous pronouncement, but it is an elongation leading nowhere" :" "Deep Seated Desire for Discussion" ."
 In his letter the Marquis of Lana- doWr4e says he is convinced there is "a deep seated desire for further explanation as to the conditions upon which we are prepared, not to make peace, but to open discussion which might lead to peace"
 The writer assumes that secret treaties are lta ble to revision. and re- ferring to President Wilson's latest speech he says:
 Tt is a picture. drawn by 8 great master, of the golden age to which N 9 DlQOCIl LO LOOK IOTWaIQ. IL does not seem, however, to provide those who are in search of a basis for preliminary negotiations with the are striving"
 Lord Lansdowne adds.
 We are about to commence the fifth year of the great struggle for liberty. and next week we shall re- affirm a solemn resolve not to desist from the effort until peace with honor is in sight.
 Meanwhile. with every month that passes the toll which the war is cost ing becomes heavier and heavier. The civilized world is being drained of it's resources, is spending its energies in purely destructive effort, each of which involves the further diminu- ton of it's reserves of power and the further mutiIation of the machinery ci production"
 Lord Lansdowne refers to the es- inmates placing the casualties of the heIligerents at 30,000,00O, of which 7,o00,0 have been killed and G. 100000 made prisoner or numbered among the missing and to the decline in the birth rate, which, according to the registrar general in a recent pa per, is costing the belligerents 12,- 500, 900 potential lives, of which 650.- 900 have been lost 10 England and Wsles"
 Against D1shonorable Peace.
 Sooner than accept a dishonorable peace" he says, we are all ready to on the tragic loss of life and declares
  spread among the enemy nations, adding:
 Upon no other assumption Is it those Austr1ans and Germans who are freely or the constant feelers launched by the Governments of the Central Powers.
 But we are apparently as far as ever from the end. The tide of carnage and destruction continues to flow and carries all before it. From time to time 2 ray of reasona bleness illum1nes the gloom only to be followed by 3 relapse into recrimina tions and con troversiss, in which each side instead Of searching for points of agreement Is apparently content with dialectic successes.
 What is 1t that stand in the way? IL is with no desire to enbarrass the Government that I ask the question, but many of us are sorely perplexed snd feel it our duty to give them chance of affording us some measure of resssurance and enlightenment.
 There is. in the first place. I am convinced, deep seated desire for further explanation as to the condi- fions on which we are prepared, not to make peace but to open a discus sion which might lead to peace.
 Tt Is assumed that such discus sion cannot be commenced without some measure of preliminary agree nent and our leading statesmen con-