The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-07
SPEECH is
MOMENTUS
The View at Washington Of
Lloyd Georges Statement
of Peace Terms
CONFORMS TO AIMS OF
THE UNITED STATES
British Premier's Address a
Tentative Outline of De-
mand at Peace Conference

Washington, Jan Premier LloyC
Georges address to the British trad,
unions Saturday on Great Britain's wal
aims created a profound impression IN
official circles in Washington. Comment
ON il. however, was withheld until OIL
cials could give il thorough study.
That the address was not unexpected
, was plain. The growing anxiety exhib-
tied by the entente chancellories since
the beginning of the Brest Livotsk peace
conferences and the openly expressed be-
lief that some steps must be taken to
leounteract the insidious attempts of the
German delegates TO misrepresent the
aims of their enemies, had convinced
/ Washington officials that there soon
must come from some authoritative
source clear, outspoken declaration of
the real position of the powers fighting
Germany.
Some exchanges that have taken place
between the United States and her CO.
belligerents recently had pointed de-
sire of some of the governments that
President Wilson again would speak in
defense of the position he had already
taken in regard to war aims. The state
department felt, however, that as the
president twice had outlined in the most
formal and public manner his beliefs,
Americas position had been sufficiently
disclosed for the present, at least.
While it was minated that the gov
| b.,I 4
vised in advance of what the British pre-
mier was to say, that the aims he out
lined will not lead to any differences be
tween the powers seems assured. not only
by the preceding exchanges between the
entente powers and Washington, but also
the harmonious proceedings OF the inter |
allied war council in Paris, at which all |
the subjects treated by Premier Lloyd |
George Saturday were considered.
Some officials pointed out that the
British premier had taken the repeated |
declarations of the Italian, French and |
British premiers, and not only had clari'
fed them. but had stated them more
frankly and directly than they had been
presented before. 1t was noted that even
President Wilson's ideas were developed
more sharply than he himself had ex
pressed them
Although it had all the force OF an
official declaration, it was pointed out at
Washington that Lloyd Georges speech
after all could not be seized upon by the
entente powers or even Great Britain to
entente powers reyen Great Britain to
a liberal acceptance Of his war aims as
the basis OF peace They might. however,
be regarded as a tentative out
line OF British and probably entente al
lied aims. which would be preached at ,
any peace conference at which these pow
ars may take part as the ground work |
upon which peace terms might be I
founded. :
1t is believed at Washington that Mr..
Lloyd George had double purpose in
mind in making his address. Only last
week the British trade unions registered
heir strong insistence upon deelara-
ion of entente aims, and the premier's :
address, Saturday was taken as an an
,wer to that demand. A second object
which the premier is believed to have
lad in mind was to impress upon Rus
ian peace delegates the fact that the :
var aims of the entente allies are more !
Yearly in consonance with their own al
|
he central powers can offer them. 8
One inference from the premier's ad !,
ress was that he still hopes that the :,
'erman negotiators at Brest -Litovsk can :,
re baked in their efforts to force a hui q
1iliating peace upon Russia, and in that a.
onnection it was recalled that hints had
cen given in semi official organs OF !,
,illingness of the entente powers to rec -
enize the Bolsheviki government if it
cted fairly toward the nations fighting
Germany. 1t also was regarded as posi-
leet the demands of Leon Trotzky for
tatement of the entente war aims with V
ten days period Just about to elapse
ithout actually committing the powers X
20 deeply.
A feature of the address which partic- IT
larly interested officials at Washington
as the reference to constitutional gov
-nment in Germany While this was re- "
arded as nearly in line with similar
,ntiments expressed by President Will
IN, it was suggested that an underlying 81
lrpose was to direct attention to the
Dllowness and insincerity of the efforts A
ENG made by Chancellor Won Hertling
} convey the impression that Germany r,
READY had been "democratized' as
iown by his invitation to the Reichstag
to submit suggestions as Ca
} the peace negotiations at Brest-Lit-
ssk. However, il has been noted that at
D time did he admit the right of that BE
,dy to approve or disapprove, or in any
ay to have any responsibility for the w