New-York tribune., 1918-01-07
Lloyd George


speech of the British Prime Minister as
directed at the German public or likely to
have any influence within the German
frontiers. The terms set forth in the ad-
dress are not in any sense a modification
of the terms which have been, since the
beginning, the irreducble minimum of
guarantees for the safety of the world, |
and these terms are highly unlikely to
appeal to German government engaged
IN partitioning Russia or German peo-
pie which, despite obvious discomforts re-
CARDS itself as victorious and entitled to
impose the terms of a victor upon a con-
quered world.
Mr.. Lloyd George spoke to the people
behind the lines in Britain, and, in a meas
ure, in the other Allied countries, who,
through ignorance, blindness or folly, have
permitted themselves to be seduced by
German intrigue and Socialist or Clerical
manipulation. The purpose of his speech
was to answer the covert and the public
assertions that the Allies were engaged
in a war of conquest and pursued impe-
rialistic aims.
For that portion of the world audience
which is honest and intelligent Mr.. Lloyd
Georges speech will serve it's purpose
Further agitation against Allied purposes
in the United States, in Britain, in France
and in Italy can be identified as anti-patri-
otic i'll purpose henceforth, and should be
dealt with as such. Precisely to this ex-
tent the speech of the British statesman
may serve a useful purpose, if to frank
ness and clarity in explanation there are
added saneness and courage in action.
AS for the terms, the war aims as the
phrase is, which were set forth in the ad-
dress, there is nothing in them new or
requiring comment now The Allied ma
tons demand the restoration of the lib
critics of the nations assailed and con-
quered since August /, 1914. They de-
mand the liberation of the French and
Italian slaves of the Central Powers In
Alsace-Lorraine, in the Trentino and in
Trieste. They demand the liberation from
Turkish tyranny Of the survivors of Os-
manli massacres in Armenia, Syria, Pal
estine and Mesopotamia. They demand
that the German colonies in which have
been perpetrated crimes against the ma
tives more terrible than the Armenian
massacres shall not be thoughtlessly re-
turned to the old masters for the old
crimes to be repeated. These terms should
be adopted by the United States, and there
should be an express declaration that py
Reconsideration" Of the Alsace-L Lorraine
question our nation understands restora.
tion to France of her stolen provinces and
people.
1t would be foolish, and worse thar
foolish, to imagine that the words OF
Lloyd George give any basis for present
hope of peace. They do not 1t would be
a mistake and more than a mistake t(
believe that, despite their protests agains
German demands, the Bolsheviki have an,
power to resist them. They have not
They have destroyed all Russian power O.
resistance, and they are now in the posi-
tion before Germany that France occu
pied in 1871. To believe that the words O
Lloyd George will persuade the Russian
to go back to the trenches is to believ
nonsense.
Mr.. Lloyd Georges speech will hav
done good, the maximum good possible,
it silences ignorant, foolish and, in som
cases, vicious criticism of Allied war aim
within Allied countries. 1t will have &C
complished much if it persuades our radi
Gals and our extreme intellectuals to de
vote little of their attention and indus
try to analyzing German war aims an
spend less Of their energy in seeking t
destroy the existing league of nations
which is the sole protection we hav
against German ambitions. in an amiabl