Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-06
DEEP INTEREST TAKEN
IN PREM|ER'S ADDRESS
Washington Leaders Expected Ad-
dress to Counterfeit Insidious
Attempts OF Germans.
AN ANSWER TO TRADE UNIONS

Follows Strong Insistenco by That
Organization That Entente War
Aims Bo Clearly and Definitely
Made Public.
WASHINGTON. January 5.-Premier
Lloyd Georges address TO the British
Trade Unions to-day on Great Britain's
war aims. created a profound impress
sion in official circles In Washington.
Comment on 1t. however. was withheld
until officials could give it thorough
study.
That tho address was not unc1 pectcd
was plain. Tho growing anxiety ex-
hibited by tho entente chanceilories
since the beginning OF the Brest-
Litovsk peace conferences. and the
openly expressed belief that some steps
must be taken to counterfeit the in
sidious attempts Of the German dele
gates to misrepresent the aims OF their
enemies had convinced Washington Of
tcials that there soon must come from
some authoritative source a clear. out
spoken declaration of the real position
OF tho powers lighting Germany.
Some exchanges that have taken
place between tho United States
and her cobelligerents recently had
pointed to a desire on the part Of
some OF the governments that Presi-
dent Wilson again should speak In de-
Tense OF tho position he had already
taken in regard to war aims. The
State Department felt however. that.
as the President twice had outlined
In the most formal and public manner
hiu beliefs. Americas position had been
sufficiently disclosed for the present.
at least.
While II was int.mated that the
washington government had not been
advised In advance OF what the Brit
ish Premier was Ia say that the aims
he outlined viii not lead to any dif-
fercnces between the powers seems as
sured. not only by the preceding eN-
changes between the entente powers
and washington. but also in the har-
monious proceedings OF the interaliied
war council. at which nil Of the sub
iecta treated by Premier Lloyd George
to-day were considered.
Some officials pointed out that the
British Premier had taken tho re
pcated declarations OF the italian.
French and British Premiers. and not
only had clarified them. but had stated
them moro frankly and directly than
noted that even President Wilson'S
ideas were developed more sharply
than he himself had expressed them.
Although IL has all the forco Of An
ofllcial declaration. it vas pointed out
hero that Lloyd Georges speech after
all could not be seized upon by the
central powers as definitely binding
tho entente allies or even Great Rri-
nf =, ITO
aims as the basis of peace. They
might however. properly be regarded
as q tentative outline OF British and
probably entente allied alma. which
would be preached at any peace con-
ference at which these powers may
take part as the ground work upon
which peace negotiations might be
founded.
1t Is believed here that Lloyd George
had a double purpose in mind In maxi
Ing his address. Only last week the
British trade unions registered their
strong insistence upon a declaration
OF entente war aims and the Premier's
address to-day was taken as an an
swer to that demand.
A second object which the Premier
Is believed to have had In mind was
delegates the fact that the war aims
consonance with their own altruistic
aspirations than anything which, the
central powers can offer them.
Ono inference drawn from tho Pro-
mier's address was that he still hopes
that the German negotiatorr ut Brest
Litovsk can be baked In their efforts
to force humiliating peace upon Rus
STA and In that connection II was re-
called that hints had been given in
samtofficial organs OF q willingness OF
tho entente powers to recognize tho
Bolshevik government II Il acted fair
~ toward tho nations lighting Ger
many. II also was regarded as pos
sible that tho address might suffice
to meet tho demand Of Leon Trotxky
for statement Of the entente war
aims within ten-day period just about
to elapse, without actually commit
ting the powers too definitely.
a feature OF the address which mar
ticularly interested officials here was
ne reference to constitutional govern
ment In Germany. While this was re i.
garded as nearly in line with similar
sentiments expressed by President viii
son, II was suggested that an u.ter-
lying purpose was to direct attention
70 the hollowness and insincerity of tho
EFFORTS being made by Chancellor Won
Hertlins to convey the Impression that
Germany already had been "dcmocra-
tised." as shown by his invitation to
the ReichstaE COMMITTEES to submit
suggestions" as to the peace nerotia
lions at Brest Litovsk. However. Il
has been noted that at no time did
he admit the right OF that body to an
provo or disapprove or in any way to
have any responsibility for the conclu !.
sion OF a peace treaty with Russia.