The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-24
Confident on the Eve of
Great German Attack,
Says Premier
GREAT WELCOME
AT EDINBURGH
Allies Building Merchant
Ships Faster Than
.U-Boats Sink Them.
(By Associated Press.)

Edinburgh, May 24.-'For the
Germans, as well as for us, the next
few weeks will be race between
Hindenburg and President Wilson,"
said Mr.. Lloyd George, in an ad~
dress here today. THE Germans ara
straining every muscle to reach the
goal first, on the eve of the Amera-
can help becoming available for the
allies"
Mr.. Lloyd Georges address was
delivered in connection with the con-
ferring Of the freedom OF the city
upon him. ..
I'VE are on the eve Of a great Gers
man attack" the premier asserted.
Those who know best what the
prospects are feel most confident
about the result"
Speaking of the time necessary for
the United States to prepare for full
participation in the war. the pre-
anier said that after all her eert1on.
America at the present moment did
not have what was equivalent to
one fifth Of the fighting strength
which the enemy had received owing
to the collapse of Russia. He added
that It took time to train and equiE
armies, and that American help
could not be reckoned on for some
time.
Optimistic On u-beats.
The premiers , statements about
the submarine situation were most
optimistic He said that in April the
output of shipping for the first time
exceeded the losses.
Mr.. Lloyd George was received
with great enthusiasm, the people
rising and cheering again and again.
Since he had taken Office, he said,
Great Britain and her allies thad had
to deal with two adverse circum-
stances. The collapse of Russia had
been Of enormous help 70 the enemy
at time when the man power Of all
the belligerents was almost at the
point Of exhaustion. The other ad-
verse development was unrestricted
submarine warfare-a perfectly un~
exampled proceeding which the al
lies had no right to expect even from
Germany. In the whole history OF
piracy, he remarked, there was no
example Of conduct like that.
Mr.. Lloyd George read a report he
had just received from the admiralty,
in which 1T was said: ''As regards
the meeting Of enemy submarines,
that is going on satisfactorily"
Naval Staff Confident,
That, said the premier, had bean
the official language since the be-
ginning Of the year. The naval staff
was confident that the allied nayies
were sinking more submarines than
the enemy was able to build. As a
means of inflicting injury, the sub
marine was still formidable, but a.
thing which might mean the win
ming or losing OF the war, he declar-
ed, the allies could rule 1t out. Not
only were submarines being sunk
faster than the Germans could build
them, but the allies as a whole were
constructing merchant ships faster
than the Germans could destroy
them.
Mr.. Lloyd George said he felt hap
pier than at any other time during
the war over the prospects OF maxi
ing the most effective use OF the
whole forces Of the alliance.
I'VE are dealing with a ruthless
Prussian despotism that is out for
plumber, loot and pillage," he said.
Treaties restrain them just as little
today as in the day OF Belgium. They
do not intend to bring the war TO
an end until their basket is as full as
1t can hold"
From the data. at present available,
the premier told his hearers, the sd
miralty was of the opinion that in
the month OF April a record had bean
made in the destruction of enemy
submarines