The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-06
BRITISH PREMIER
GIVES war AIMS
Aggression Not Plan but
Germans Must Yield All
Conquered Lands.
WOULD PAY BELGIUM
Says England Will Fight to
Last to Give France
Alsace-LOrraine.
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Continued From Page One.)
war OF aggression against the German
people. Their leaders have persuaded
them that they are fighting a war Of
seif-defense against a league of rival
nations bent on the destruction Of
Germany. The destruction or disrup-
ton OF Germany has never been a war
aim with us. Most reluctantly and
. quite unprepared we were forced to
join in this war in self defense, in de-
Tense of violated law in Europe.
"The British people have never
aimed at the breaking up of the Ger
man peoples or the disintegration of
their state. Our wish is not to destroy
Germany's great position in the world.
but to turn her aside from schemes OF
military domination to devote her
strength to the beneficent tasks of the
world.
We are not fighting to destroy
Austria Hungary. or to deprive Turkey
OF its capital or the rich lands of Asia
Minor and Thrace which are FREEDOM
intely Turkish
WE arc HoI ltSIliHR I'D destroy the
German constitution, although we con-
slider a military autocratic constitu-
ton dangerous anachronism. Our
viewpoint is that the adoption OF !,
democratic constitution by Germany
would be the most convincing evil
dence that her old spirit of military
domination had indeed died in this
war, and it would make it much easier
for MS to conclude broad, democratic
peace with her. But that is a ques-
ton for the German people to decide
Germany Remained Silent.
1T is more than year since the
president of the United States advised
the belligerents by suggestion that
each side should state clearly the
aims for which they were fighting.
We replied; the central powers did
not. and they have maintained COM
plete silence as to the objects for
which they are fighting. Even on so
crucial a matter as their intention re-
sarding Belgium they have declined to
give any trustworthy indication
Referring to the pronouncement Of
Count Czernin, the Austro- Hungarian
foreign minister that it was not the
.intention Of the central powers to APP
propriae forcibly any occupied terri
tories or rob of it's independence any
nation, which lost its political indie
7endence during the war, Mr.. Lloyd
George said it was obvious that any
scheme of conquest and annexation
could be perpetrated with the literal
Interpretation of such pledge.
Equality Of Right.
I'VE must know what is meant"
said the premier, for equality of right
amongst nations, small as we'll as
great, is one of the fundamental issues
this country and her allies ale fighting
to establish
Reparation for Belgian towns and
their inhabitants, he asserted. had
been repudiated emphaticaliy by the
central powers, and the rest of their
o-called offers were almost entirely
a refusal of all concessions. On one
point only We're they clear. Under no
circumstances would Germany's de-
mand for the restoration of the whole
of her colonies be departed from. All
the principles Of self-determination
here vanish.
1T is Impossible to believe that any
permanent peace can be erected on
such foundation" said the premier.
Mere lip service as to the formula of
mo annexation, no indemnity and self
determination is useless.
Days Of Vienna Past.
"The days of the treaty of Vienna
81
nit the future of European civilization
to the arbitrary decisions of a few me-
gotiators striving to secure by chican-
cry or persuasion the interests of this
or that dynasty or nation. Therefore
government with the consent of the
governed must be the basis OF any
territorial settlement. For that reason
also unless treaties be upheld, it is
obvious that no treaty Of peace can be
worth the paper on which it Is writ
ten.
The first requirements always made
by the British and their allies have
been the complete restoration, politi-
cal, territorial and economic, OF the In
dependence of Belgium and such repa-
ration as can be made for the devasta-
tion Of it's towns and provinces. 1t is
no demand for war of indemnity. but
insistence that before there can be
any hope Of stable peace this great
breach Of public law in Europe. must
be repudiated and SO far as is possible
repaired.
Reparation Needed.
Preparation means recognition. Tn
less internatPnal right is recognized
by insistence On payment for injury
done in defiance OF its canons, it can
never be reality.
Next comes the restoration Of Ser
bia, Montenegro and the occupied parts
TOni9ht