Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-08
Lloyd Georges EpOchal Speech.

Lloyd Georges latest speech is primarily a
ren-timed eounter-stroEe to the German autocracys
Aieky peace maneuvers. He says essentially moth
different from what he and Premier Clemen-
b and President Wilson already have said with
hphasis. and essentially nothing more. But the
british Prime Minister now speaks of Entente war
inns and peace conditions with an explictness that
10 Allied spokesman hitherto has approached. He
as led to do so partly by a request of the Brit
n trade unionists for precise definition Of the
bjects~ for which their nation and its allies are
Ihting. Indeed, it was at meeting of the trade
on delegates. assembled 10 consider how best
eountry's man-power might be more effectively
piIized for Earneeds, that he delivered this pro-
AdIy impressive speech; and his words are the
bken directly to representatives Of the toiling
hk and file who have patience with the mere
hitions of kings or chanceIlories but whose
Earest interests are bound up with the vindcation
i liberty and justice. In satisfying his coun-
|ymen that il is no imperialistic schemes they
Ie fighting for. but the vital essence Of popular
hxe-nment and human rights, Lloyd George
heartened the plain people. Of every Allied land
has lighted a great beacon for the Kaiser S
ects themselves.
AZ this stage of the war it is peculiarly i'm
ant that the Allies use their weapons
diplomacy with the utmost possible vigor
skill, for it is in diplomacy that
enemy is now seeking to score; and
Ehe success with which he is thwarted,
IDS in - large measure the next turn Of mill
events. if not indeed the entire outcome Of
pr The crux of the problem is Russia. All
e done that can be done 20 save that great
from the permanent sway of Prussianism
make it a moral force for democracy. Be
rs affairs are now in the hands of bungling
nenters is no reason why the Allies should
On it as prey to the Hohenzollerns. I'm
lie though it may be to put Russia effective
on the firing line, if she can be kept out
xman peace trap and kept, even in spirit,
he Allies, a great deal will have been
hwart the Kaiser's present and future
Those schemes hinged on the peace nego-
at BrestIitOvsk. If they can make their
Fms with the BoIshevii regime, the German
will have strengthened themselves at home
will have won an advantageous base for press
their peace offensive against Italy and France
England. But il they foiled in Russia
fail to deliver the peace which they have
missed their subjects, they will be weaker at all
Is and for all purposes In these circum-
the obviously proper stroke 1Or AineO
smanship is to lay bare the hypocrisy and
in the Prussian peace maneuvers and to make
stakabIy clear the democratic nature of the
war aims.
nat as we see it. was a basic purpose of
ritish Prime Minister'S speech. He made no
b the Bosheviki. but he made it plain be-
a tinge Of doubt that the altrUistic principles
Itch they profess allegiance have stanch friends
Ae Allies and ruthless foes in the Hohenzollerns.
made it plain that Great Britain, together with
lnce and Italy and the United States, stand for
irrational Law against conscienceless aggression,
Nhd for the common rights of peoples against
special privileges and ambitions of dynasties,
for the settlement of future disputes among
4pfons BY appeal TO law instead Of TO force Those
ire the things priced by true Liberals. not in
rssa alone but in every land, in Germany and
kGstria themselves. Those are the things which
NE Allied demOcrs ss are fighting to preserve and
B make effectTI- md those the things which
tohenzolIern Germany is seeking to betray and
'estroy. Thus in stating the war aims OF the Al
Is more explicitly than ever before Lloyd George
drawn the line between Prussianism and De
cracy more sharply than ever before. This un-
oubtedIy will have the effect of strengthening the
ar will OF the English and French and Italian
|eOpIe II probably will have the effect of arous-
ng Russia to a new of her interest and
luty. Il may have the effect of awakening the
eopIe of the Central Powers to the real character
II the criminal autOcracy they are serving.
: This latter consideration strongly in the
Prime Minister'S mind. it has been in all of
Resident Wilson's war utterances. I'VE are not
lighting a of aggression against the German
'eople" The destruction disruption of Ger
nany- has never been aim with US" I'VE
re not fighting to destroy Austria-Hungary or to
Ill oF
Asia Minor and Thrace which are predominantly
turkish" In these and sundry other unequivocal
Lloyd George makes it plain that the
inns of the Allies are not antagonistic to the
tights of any nation any people but are directed
oIeIy to redressing the done by conscience
IS rulers and to safeguarding the world against
ture peril from that source. He is especially
plicft on this point-and especially impressive