The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-13
PREMIER BRAVES


CONTINUED from Page One.y
premier to get rid of his private secre-
taries and also the press which was
hanging around his neck like an
aibatross.'I
While the Versailles conference was
under discussion the premier also,
was met by constant cries of Don't
divulge!"
At one point Andrew Bonar Law,
chancellor of the exchequer, interpos-
ing to deny thai Field Marshal Haig
or General Robertson had been dis
missed or resigned and being closely
pressed by a heckler, added: LAS far
as I know
The house then adjourned and thus
far no motion of want of confidence
in the government has been placed on
paper
Stands by Promise to Unions.
The government. Premier Lloyd
George said in his speech. would stand
by, the declaration of war aims he,
made last month to the trades unions
representatives.. He said he had read
with most profound disappointment
the replies of Count Won Hertling and
Czernin to the statements made by
himself and President Wilson. There
was a great difference in the tone of
the Austrian and German speeches, he
said, but he could find no difference
in the substance. AS to the reply of
Chancellor Won Hertling, the premier
said:
What was his answerto the allies
very moderate demands? His answer
was that Great Britain was to give
up her coaling stations thruout the
world. I confess l think that was
the last demand Germany ought de-
Gently to have put forward
These coaling stations had been
as accessible to German as to British
ships. In the past the German fleet
always has received most hospita BILE
treatment at all these stations Dur
ing 1918 some sixty-five visits were
paid to them by German men of war
and they received exactly the same
facilities as British men of war. The
same thing applied to German mer-
ing firms there conducting trade un-
der exactly the same conditions as
British firms.
When There Is No Peace.
ITO make such = demand for the
first time in the fourth year of the
war is the best possible proof that
the German empire, or those at pres
ent controlling it, is not in mood
to discuss reasonable terms of peace.
I regret it profoundly but there is no
use in crying peace when there is no
peace.
These terms were examined care
fully and were examined with a real
desire to lind something in them
which indicated the central powers
were prepared to come somewhere
near a basis of agreement and i con-
fess the examination of these two
speeches proved profoundly disap-
pointing to those who were sincerely
anxious to find any real and genuine
desire for peace in them.
Cites Russian Example.
THE action of Germany with ref
erepce 20 Russia proves that all her
oh n
IDENTITIES or contributions have no
real meaning. No answer has been
given with regard to Belgium, which
any one can regard as satisfactory.
No answer has been given in regard to
Poland or he legitimate French claim
for the restoration of her lost prov
inces. Not a word is said about the
men Of the Italian race and tongue
now under the Austrian yoke. When
you come to Turkey. so far from Won
Hertling or Czernin indicating they
were prepared to recognize the rights
of the Arabs in Mesopotamia and
Arabia, it was a pure denial of those
rights al nd an indication that they were
determined to maintain what they
called the integrity of Turkey.
81 should like any member of this
house to point out anything inn these
speeches which he could possibly re-
gard as proof that the central powers
are prepared to make peace on terms
he would regard as just and reason
apie. l fail to find anything of the
kid ard it is with the most profound
.egret that L say so.
Stands by Allies Terms.
But the allied governments do not
recede in the least from the statement
of war aims they already have made
They still consider these as the aims
and ideals for which We are fighting
and there is every indication that the
nation as a whole is prepared to &C
cept them as a fair. just and moderate
statement, and until there is some bet
ter proof than is supplied in the
speeches of the statesmen of the CEN
trail powers that they are prepared to
consider them it will be our regret
tatle duty to continue making all
preparations necessary in order to es-
tablish international rights"