New-York tribune., 1918-01-19
must merge their privileges and the
rights III common stock"


rights III common stock
a voice: "And wealth.
: "Certainly,' replied the Premier
who continued: "If any man standing
in my place can find am honorable
equitable and just way out of this CON
t1ct without lighting it through for
heaten's sake let him tell me. My own
conviction is this-the people either
must 80 on or go under"
Ready for just Peace
A great number Of questions were
put to the Premier by the delegates
regarding the advisabiity Of entering
INTO peace negotiations or the permit
ting of a conference at Stockholm. Mr..
Lloyd George, in replying. said:
"Germany always has been ready for
peace at her own price, but that is not
a prlce that we are prepared to pay.
The moment the Germans show a dis
position to negotiate a peace on equ-
table terms-and they are the terms the
Labor party itself has. in substance,
adopted will be no reluctance
/ to enter into peace negotiations"
The Premier's objection to a confer
once at Stockholm or elsewhere was
that delegates Of the German govern
Ment would be chosen. A delegate here
interJected. "Not necessariy.'
Mr.. Lloyd George replied to this :
s. DO not let us deceive ourselves with
delusions. You can only make peace
with government. If the government
does NOT represent the people of Ger
many. let them change their govern
mcnt."
In the same breath the Premier cha-
lenged his audience to change their own
government if they were dissatisfied
and delegate called out: Give us an
opportunity"
Mr.. Lloyd George rcsumcd: ave
have given you the best opportunity
because we introduced a franchise bill
adding S,OOO,0 900 to the electorate. You
can have your opportunity whenever
you HE. 1t is not the government
which shrinks from it,
Premier Is HecIled
Then he was asked whether. if the
Germans decided on a government sim
liar to that Of the present Russian
government, England would recognize
their representatives. Mr.. Lloyd George
repied: "Nc will recognize the repre-
sentatlves OF any government whatever
set up by the German people,"
Ihc Premier then was considerably
hcckled regarding objections to allow
ing an international conference of
WORKING class representatives apart
from the governments; whether he
oonsldercd military training in the
schools consistent with democratic
anti militarst ideals. and whether the
acceptance of the Allies peace terms
was the necessary condition to CON
Venlng conference or whether it was
me function of a conference to debate
the terms from both sides. Mr.. IJovl
George said that all the Allies. includ.
ING America. had agreed unanimously
lhat negotiations could be conducted
only between representatives OF the
respective governments and that ncpo.
t'atlons ought not to be conducted be-
tween sections of the peoples. 1t was a
1undamcntal misconception of dcmoc.
racy' he added. that any section, how
eNcry powerful, really represents the
whole people.
Concerning the school drill. the Pre-.
mier said: "As long as YOU have q
powerful military autocracv in III.
world YOU are not going to defeat !.
merely by preaching even the highcs;
ideals.' ~
Regarding conference. he admitted
the difficulty Of the problem in decidir
the proper moment when it would he
desirable TO enter into a peace con.
ference.
German Trap Prepared
l on may enter in one moment and
una 'ha' you nave put your head into a
moose, Mr.. Lloyd George observed
MY personal op'nlon is that it is not
desirable to enter a conference unless
'here is a fair chance Of emerging
with satisfactory settlement.
81 am firmly convinced from the atti
tude of the leaders OF the German gov
ernmcnt that such conference nov
would not result in anything like an
I equitable understanding Therefore
II would aggravatc instead Of improv-
ing the matter"
hepiy'nG to a suggestion that the
Socialists might override the govern.
mcnt IN Germany if Il conference wore
allowed. The Premier pointed out that
hr. karl licbknccht has been Jailed
and that Is what would happen to Herr
SchcidcmaNn If he attempted "to cash
peace ch"cks' in Germany. lie also
announced himself As in sympathy with
the idea of Matchmaking the --Solc pro-
duction OF armamcnts