The Washington times., 1921-04-30
LLOYD GEORGE
EXTENDED WAR
Hapgood Reveals How British
Premier Blocked Wilson Move
For Peace in 1916.
BY NORMAN HAPGOOD.


Whatever chance there may be of
preventing France from wrecking
what is left of civilization in Europe
10 focused in two men.
The influence of the United States
is now being welded by Mr.. Hughes,
and everybody believes he is doing
the best that can be done. The power
of Great Britain is in the hands of
Lloyd George, and nobody knows
what his motives are.
AIMS TO HOLD POWER.
No one is smarter than the Welsh
man No one realizes more clearly
than he the folly of invasion or the
hypocrisy of many OF the conditions
imposed on Germany. But. hts first
premise is always the need OF re-
tanning power himself. That great
end he pursues with incredible skill.
We have seen him lately mislead-
ing all England about the nature of
the Irish issue and encouraging class
bitterness by utterly misrepresenting
the aims of the British labor party.
The Ruhr question, although he un-
derstands it perfectly, may also be
made a football of his politics.
l am now going to reveal an i'm
portant piece of history, showing the
British prime minister committing an
entirely dishonest act in order to
prevent one of Mr.. Wilson's attempts
to stop the war before 1t had brought
the world to the condition in which
we now see II. Those Immediately
concerned. outside of Lloyd George,
are unable to tell the story, being
bound by confidence, but l am under
no obligation to keep quiet.
PEACE MOVE IN 1915.
II was in December. 1915. Mr..
Wilson was endeavorinE to force the
opposing sides into the open, and
either stop the war or commit the
belligerents to purposes that could
be stated. In one clause he used this
language:
He takes the liberty Of calling at
tention to the fact that the objects
which the statesmen Of the beliger-
ents on both sides have in mind in
this war are virtually the same as
stated in general terms to their own
people and to the world"
Notice the last thirteen words. The
meaning is obvious. Behind those
virtuous bluffs Mr.. Wilson wanted to
get at the real aims. When Mr..
Lloyd George received the communi-
cation he called in the newspaper
men and let them know he wanted a
howl of indignation sent up. They
obeyed
Nearly all of them followed the
prime minister's insistence that MI
Wilson had said that tho objects Of
both sides were the same, not that
the general virtuous noises were
the same. Lloyd Georges organ. the
Chronicle, was particularly fierce.
ONE JOURNALIST REFUSED.
There. was one journalist. present
whom the prime minister had ignored
for months on account of his inde-
pendence. This time he called him in.
1t was the well-known essayist, A. G.
Gardiner, then editor of the Daily
News.
Gardiner refused to accept the
prime minister's Interpretation Of the
Presidents message. He pointed out
that 1t was perfectly obvious that
Mr.. Wilson was saying that general
expressions of virtuous Intentions, de-
sire Of safety. etc, were the same,
whoever emitted them. and, that he
would like to have exact and compre-
hensible statements about what both
sides were after.
The prime minister refused to take
Gardeners view, for reasons OF his
own. He could read the message as
well as Gardiner could. but his gov
eminent was panty to a series Of Sc
cret, imperialistic treaties. not differ
ing essentially in their intent from
the evils that the German govern
'ment had planned. He could not af-
ford to be called into the open by the
President.
WOULD EXPOSE ALLIES.
1t would have been too great an ex-
posture of England, France, Italy and
the Czarist Russia. No wonder he
has steadily refused to give Gardiner
] do not need permission.
Another incident Ats in with this |
When Mr.. Wilson used his famous
expression peace without victory" he |
meant 1t. He believed victory would |
be abused by either side, as 1t is now
being obviously abused by the con-
querors. He sent that message to the |
principal ambassadors three days be- |
fore it was published.
Mr.. Page in England. who was very |
sympathetic with the entente, cabled |
most urgent request to have that !
expression taken out. Mr.. Wilson
shown how firmly his fears were |!
grounded.
Since the statesmen of France. not |
sufficiently checked by those of Eng |
land, are pushing the whole world to-
ward an abyss. the completeness of |
the victory OF the entente is easily |
seen as an evil
Wilson reached his heights in his |
warnings that a draw would be less
harmful than unrestricted dictatorship !
by either side.
AEn nv nm CWsvYN TNUU