New-York tribune., 1918-05-25

Is as full as it can hold"
Reverting to the shipping situation,
the Premier said that in April the out
put of shipping for the first time ex-
cceded the losses. This statement was
greeted with great enthusiasm. h;s
hearers rising and cheering again and
again.
The Premier paid a tribute to the
sailors of the navy and the mercantile
marine, whose invincible valor over
came the submarine difficulties"
Besides protecting our ships and the
shlps OF our allies,' said Mr.. Lloyd
George, "they had to undertake the diff
fcult task of harrying, pestering, chas-
ing and pursuing submarines day and
night. They never ceased until thew
conquered that pest ana blocked two
of their nests Ostcnd and Zeebruggc.
These were thrilling deeds which gave
new heart to our people"
Reads Admiralty Report
The Premier read a report which he
had just received from the Admiralty.
"as regards the meeting OF enemy sub
marlnes-that it was going on salts
Iactorily." Thai. said the Premier. is
official language.
1--WE have reached the position" said
Mr.. Lloyd George, chat we are SINKING
German submarines faster than thnS :,
can build them. We are building mer.
chant ships-that is, the Allies as a
whole-faster than they can sink
them"
The Premier said that from data at
present available the Admiralty held
the opinion that in the month Of April
there was record destruction of en-
emy submarines. When it came to the
increase in shipbuilding, the month of
April was the record month since the
ruthless submarine warfare COM
menced. For the first time the OUTPUT
exceeded tne losses, and that, he said,
was not bad record for a government
whose faults were so freely advertised
Mr.. Lloyd George said that the sub.
marine as a means of inflicting injury
was still formidable, "but as a danger
which can cause the winning or the
losing OF the war we can rule it OUT
Inc failure OF the submarine has been
recognized by the Germans, and that
accounted for the present offensive in
the west. The enemy had been driven
INTO that offensive as a last resort to
secure victory.
On Eve of Formidable Attack
Nevertheless" said Mr.. Lloyd
! George, 1--WE must not underrate the for.
midable character Of that attack. The
collapse of Russia caused a yawnine
gap in the bridge which has not vel
been spanned by the coming of Amer
lea; and until the span is reconstructed
by America, Great Britain, France anc
Italy have to defend the gap"
The Premier said that the Allies were
on the eve Of a great German attack
and that those who knew best what the
prospects were felt most confident
about the result. He said he felt hap
pier than at any time during the wal
over the prospects of making the mos
effective use of the entire forces u
| the alliance. He had tried repeated,
to achieve unity of command, and now
that had been accomplished. 1t wa:
really incredible that for months the
government had to fight every inch Of
the way to unity of direction agains
potent influences. But unity was nov
fact, and it had added nightly te
the strength Of the Allies. The com
mander of the Allied armies, Genera
Foch, he said, was one of the mos
brilliant of war strategists.
A Hindenburg-W Wilson Race
"He is a man of dynamic energy
and profound knowledge and expert
ence," said the Premier, Commanding
the respect, admiration, confidence ane
affection of the Allied soldiers OF
every army"
The Premier said the Allies were ap
preaching the greatest battle that was
ever fought and upon which depended
greater consequences for the human
race than any other battle in the
worlds history. He was glad to thinl
that the Allies had to head the force.
for freedom man of General Foch'.
commanding genius.
"For the Germans, as we'll as fo
us, the next few weeks will be a rae,
between Hindenburg and Presiden
Wilson," said Mr.. Lloyd George, "ant
the Germans are straining ever,
muscle to reach the goal first, on thu
eve of American help becoming avail
able for the Allies.
"This is not time to organize cam
paigns to harrass men in charge of the
destinies of the nation. There ough
to be a truce from all those man
9uvres, at any rate until this grea
offensive is over. Everything must bt
done to keep up the spirits and tn.
moral determination and unity of tn.
t;nnds people as long fs this struggle con
CAS- we are apbroachfnp what NAV