Evening star., 1939-09-10
Lloyd George Sees Neutrality
OfRussia as Important Factor
Kew Statesman of Former World War Insists
England Should Bolster French Army
to Avoid Humiliating Peace
By David Lloyd George.

LONDON-It is just over 20 years ago
that France and Britain signed the
armistice with Germany which brought
to an end the bloodiest war in history
They are now fighting essentially the
same struggle again. Germany is again
the aggressor. Once more it is a fight
for international right-the recognition
of the equal right of nations. weak as
well as strong to lead their own inde-
pendent lives as long as they do not in
terfere with the rights of their neighbors.
This conflict has gone on periodically
since the dawn of history. 1t will go
on for many centuries to come, unless
and until mankind accepts that principle
as one of the irrefragable command
ments of humanity. That will only come
to pass when the transgressor finds
that the marauder's path is too hard
and too costly to travel. In recent years,
it has been much too easy and too
profitable The western democracies
have once more undertaken the task of
repeating the terrible lesson of 1914
to the same aggressor. We ought to
see it is the last.
1t is we'll that we should, at the out
set, realize that the duty we have once
more undertaken to discharge in the
interest of human civilization may be
even more onerous than it was in 1914
but that a failure now would be more
disastrous than it would have been in
1918
A Different Military Problem.
The present military problem is differ
ent in several important particulars than
1t was in 1914 1t is true that Britain
then was just as unprepared in mill
tary sense as it is today. Our army was
highly efficient, but in numbers lament
ably Insignificant, in comparison with
the huge armies of the other belllgerents.
1t took us two years to raise and equip
an army which had continental propor-
tions. Germany had by her side the
immense but unequal army OF Austria
and the brave but ill-equipped and ILL
ORGANIZED army of Turkey. The western
allies were joined by Russia with an
inexhaustble supply of courageous and
trained men, but with an utterly INSULT
cient supply of rifles, machine guns, heavy
artillery transport and ammunition.
Her governing classes were corrupt and
incompetent to the last degree.
Germany and France alone had we'll
organized, well-equpped and Well-oth-
cered armies of the magnitude to which
the Great War accustomed us. OF the
two, Germany had the bigger and, on
the whole, the better army.
Marshal Foch told me during the war
that the German Army put into the
field was the finest in numbers, equip
ment and training that had ever
marched into war. Today the position
is reversed in these respects.
Conditions are different today In
other material respects-some partly
favorable to us. But it must be recog-
nized that there are some distinctly
unfavorable Let us consider both with
out minimizing or exaggerating either.
Italy Lies Quiet.
Today, Germany stands alone In THIS
war. For reasons which have not been
fully revealed she has dispensed with
the aid promised her by Italy. We can
only guess her motives. From the
strategic point of view they are worth
examining
Italv is more vulnerable to attack
from the armies and navles OF the
western powers than is Germany. The
latter is girdled on all her weaker
frontiers by a rampant OF neutrals, I'M
penetrable to nations who respect the
neutrality of other states. But if Italy
Joined up with Germany, she might eX-
pose a new access to Germany. A de-
feet of the Italian Army-a reversed
caporetto-would lay bare the southern
flank of the Reich.
This is contingency which the Ger
man military leaders are not prepared
to risk. The Germans have not yet
acquired any confidence in the military
qualities of the italian army. The ease
with which the appearance OF five or
six German divisions near Brenner
scared the whole Italian army into
headlong fight in 1917 has left an in
delible impression on the German mind
of the unreliability of Italian fighting
morale.
I think the impression is an erroneous
one, but there was much to be said Tor
1t in the Great War; The heart OF the
italian peasant was not altogether IN
the 1858 war. He was never enthusl-
astic about it. He was, therefore, not at
his best as a soldier. Mussolini has un-
ouestionably increased the equipment
and efficiency of the Italian Army and
he is an inspiring national leader. But
even he cannot make millions fight to
the death for cause in which they
. do not believe.
More Useful as Neutral.
Hitler must know the Italian peasant
and worker are reluctant to risk their
lives to aggrandize the German Reich'
If they are called up to die IN order
to subjugate their Polish fellow -Cathohcs
to Hitler, they may take refuge IN an
other Caporetto. Italy is, therefore, more
useful to Germany as friendly neutral
who will serve to immobilize numoer
of French divisions which must be de-
tached to keep watch on the mari
time Alps.
Moreover Italy is specially vulnerable
to the operations Of the British fleet.
Although the Mediterranean may be
closed to British merchant ships, the
armored ships of Britain cannot be kept
out. Mussolini might then be cut of