New-York tribune., 1918-07-12
Former Premier Converts
U. S. Hospitality Dinner
Into Grafton for the
President
Messages Will Live
Links Name With WASHINGTON
and Lincoln as Americas
Greatest Statesmen

LONDON, July 11.-Sincere praise of
President Wilson's leadership in the
war and his advocacy of a league of
nations after the war was given by
Herbert II. Asquith, the former Pre-
mer, in an address last night at the
National Liberal Club. The occasion
was hospitality dinner to American
officers at which 500 prominent Eng
lishmen were hosts. The dinner resolved
itself into meeting of ovation for the
President.
Vlce-Admiral Sims, commander of the
American naval forces in the war zone,
paid trloute to the cooperation of the
British and American navies and de-
clared:
The submarine menace is now at an
end, for we are destroying them faster
than the Germans can build them"
Major General Biddlc, commander of
the American forces in England, evoked
long cheers when he announced that
American troops were stationed at from
seventy to eighty different points in
England and Scotland.
Americas Good Fortune
Former Premier Asquth, in the
course of a speech urging the impor-
tance of President Wilson'S idea Of a
league of nations as "the most urgent
of all peace problems" said:
"The United States as nation has
had the very good fortune that, in the
supreme crisis of her national history,
the man whom she most needed for in
splration and guidance has always ap-
peared. Thus came Washington and
Lincoln. Washington and Lincoln are
lllustrous names which have passed
into history. We mu t Got attempt to
anticipate history's Judgment upon men
still living, but I will venture to say
that President Wilson has been the
head of the American government in
times no less trying than any in it's
annals.
"President Wilson has taken the
greatest decision of our age and has
carried his people with him in it. More
over, he has laid before the world the
grounds for his decision, the reasons
which justified and compelled it and the
spirit in which it was adopted He has
done this in state papers which are
worthy to live side by side with the
most inspiring utterances Of his most
famous predecessors.
The Way to Victory
at is one thing to embrace a good
cause. 1t is another to push it to a
victorious issue. If a nation is to hold
its own on the battlefield these days it
must be equipped on the sea and land
with the strongest battalions, the best
and fastest ships, adequate organization
OF transport and supply and even with
superiority in all the manifold mechani-
cal devices for aggression and defence
which the hellish ingenuity of modern
warfare has devised.
america has had her difficulties.
They have not stifed. but have stimu-
lated her energy, and We grasp the OPP
portunity tonight of acknowledging our
unbounded admiration of the magnifi-
cent contribution America has made, is
making and will continue to make in
ever-increasing measure. Here again
we gratefully trace the guiding hand
and driving will of the President.
Wilson, Man of Vision
"Probably the world owes its greatest
debt to Presden Wilson for helping
men whose vision has been blurred and
blinded by the smoke of the battlefield
20 lift up their eyes and to look through
1T and beyond it. 1t is very difficult in
time of war to keep a steady head and
a clean tongue. President Wilson does
both.