The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-05
WAR aims OF ALLIES ARE FREELY
DISCUSSED BY LLOYD GEORGE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUMMARY OF War

David Lloyd George. the British
premier, in an epoch making speech
delivered today at what he declared
to be the most critical hour Of the
war, laid Great Britain's war aims
before the world both more broadly
and more specifically than they have
ever before been formulated,
A just and lasting peace was the
British aim the Premier reiterated
and this he declared, must be
achieved by the establishment of
the sanetity of treaties, territorial
adjustments on the basis of self de
termination and the limitation of
armaments carried out by the erea-
ton Of an international organization.
Great Britain was prepared to make
even greater sacrifices in achieving
these ends he declared.
n effect the speech was a reply to
and a rejection of the German peace
terms as voiced by the spokesman
for the central powers at the Brest-
Litovsk conference. No lasting peace
was possible on this basis, he as
serted, emphasizing the point that
mere lip service to the formulas of
no anneNations, no indemnities, and
self determination would not suffice.
The broad principle of recognition
OF the rights of nationaIities formed
the basis of the Premisrs state
ment. He enuneiated this specifically
in declaring "that government by
consent of the governed" must Bel
the foundation Of any territorial ad-
Iustments after the war, repIacina|
the old method of settlement by
bargaining around a council table BY
q rev nsgotIators schemina to serve
the interests of one dynasty or an
other.
Backing up this idea, he declared
that Great Britain proposed 20 stand
by France in her demand for the
righting of the wrong of 1871 wheH
she was deprived of AIsscs- Lorraine
and was supporting Italy in her
claims for reunion with peoples of
her own race and tongue now under
Austrian rule. Justice for Runania.
Serbia and Montenegro was also in
sisted upon.
THE CASE OF POLAND.
The same principle was applied in
the case Of Poland, which the pren1ieF
said should be an independent state
and comprise all genuinely Polish ele-
nnents that wished to unite in IL. Again
IN the case of the German colonies,
Mr.. Lloyd George pointed out that
the wishes and interests of their ma
tive inhabitants must be primarily
regarded by the peace conference.
The principle was also applied in
the case OF Turkey, whose dominion
II was not proposed to challenge in
the homelands of the Turkish race,
although the premier expressed the
view that the pardaneIles should be
internationalized. Such Municipalities
as the Arabs and the Armenians and
tE1e inhabitants of Syria, Palestine
have their separate national condi"
lions recognized.
Complete restoration of Belgium,
With such reparation for her as was !
possible, had always been the first |
in the making of a |
peace, the premier pointed out, and !
his he reiterated. He repeated like |
wise the pronouneement that there |
Was no desire for the disruption of |
Germany but, instead, q wish TO turn |
ler from schemes of military doR1i- /
1ation to the performance of bene.
icient tasks in the world.
So far as Russia was concerned,
lloyd George said that Great Britain
france, Italy and America would be
Had to fight to the end beside the
russian democracy but that Rus
las present rulers had decided TO
ct Independently and only her own
'eople could save Russia from the
complete economic and ultimate po-
itical enslavement" which Prussia
vas designing for her.
The speech was patiently q we'll
onsidered utterance, for the premier
nnounced in his preface that he had
cen consulting the views of repre-
men of all sections of
CONTINUED ON page 12)