GO ON OR GO UNDER.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 6966, 23 January 1918, Page 3

GO ON OR GO UNDER.

Mr Lloyd George's Big Argument Auiira'iau and M Z Cable Assoc Loudon, Jan :!0 Mr Lloyd George, addressing representatives of the trade unions affected by the Man-Power BiU, paid a tribute to the manner in which.they hsd met I the Government. A spirit of complete I i fraskneas, he said, had characterised i I both sides, resulting in tfce clearing! \up of misuaderstandi.igs. Tee Premier j reiterated that the alternatives to the i proposals were raising the age limit j for service, as in Austria, where it I was 55 years, or sending back wouticed men to tbe iiring line. It would 1 be folly to withdraw men from an in- j dustry an huur soouer than was neces- j sarv, but it would be treason to the country, to democracy, and to the cause of freedom if. when tbe need arose, we did r.ot make the demand. "1 assume that i.i your tearts you believe that the war ainii declared by the great Labour Conference represent the minimum which can possibly be acceptable,'' said Mr Lloyd George, "but if we are unable to defeat the German forces, if we t<re ur.abls to resist the military power of Prussia, is there a man here who hslieves that one of your terms, even the least of Miem, can 03 enforced? I am net talking of the demands of Imperialists, the demands cf tbe extreme war men, who want to annex the earth and all the heavenly firmament. . 1 am talking of moderate demands of the must pacifist soul in this assembly. Go to Hindenburg with them, and try to cash that cheque at the Hindenburg bank. It will be returned dishonoured. Whatever may be the terms submitted by any pacifist in these lands, you will r.ot get them cashed by Ludendorf or the Kaiser, or any of these magnates, unless yau have got the nower to enforci them." Tbe epeaker and Mr Wocdrow Wilson, without previous consultation, had laid clown what was substantially the same programme of demands for the termination of the war. There had bren no rpspouse from any man of any position in Germany indicating Jbat the rulers of Germany desired to epproach tbe problem in a spirit of equity. We demanded the restoration of Belgium. Would any of his hearers make peace without the complete restoration of Belgium and reparation for its wrongs? (Shouts of "No.*') Germany's only ar.swer to that demand came from the noul of yon Tirpitz, ! who replied "Never." Trie speaker ; demanded of the wrong cf Alsace and Lorraine. Get many answered "Never." The programme had been acclaimed throughout the Allied countries, Criticism was hardly heard except from a few who wished Mr Lloyd George had made more extreme demands. The Socialists of. France, Britain, and Italy had mainly accepted the demands as very fair. Mr Lloyd George emphasised that he would not have the war for a seco-id on his sdul if he could atop it honourably. He urged those especially who thought we were responsible for the perpetuytian of the horror of war to consider the reception of our demands in Germany where tha only comment had been: "Behold how England is weakening. Go on and they will come down again." When he suggested that Mesopotamia and Palestine should never be restored to the tyranny of the Turk, Germany answered: "We will go on until they are restored." The Premier empbamed that not s single condition contained in tho British Trade Union war aims had met with any authoritative response from Germany. It was very*-significant, that there had been no civilian answer from Germany stall. Hindenburg and Ludendorf had beei; hurriedly summoned to confer at Berlin, but vori Kuhlma.-in had not been allowed to speak. That meant that the Prussian military power was dominant. Germany's answer to civilisation would be give-i from the cannon's mouth. It would be v mistake to harbour any delusions. "Let u-3 talk quietly and freely here amongst ourselves," continued Mr Lloyd George. "You might as well' stop fighting unless you are going to j do it with all your might. It h real : murder of the gallant fellows who) have ptood there for three years. There is no alternative. You have either got to put your whole strength into it or'just do what is. done in the Russian army, and tell those brave fellows that they can go home whenever they like. If there are men who say they will not go into the trenches, then the men in tbe trenches have the right to say, 'Neither will we remain i here.' That would end the war, but what sort of end would it be? The Russian soldiers ceased fighting and fraternised, and simply talked of great ideals and principles to the German army. The Germans did not retreat, but took Riga and the islands in the gulf. Fraternisation did not prevent the Germans marching forward. If Petrogrnd were rearer they would have had that too. Unless ws are prepared tn stand up to the whole might cf the people now dominating Germany, you will find tbe democracy of Europe at tbe mercy of (be cruellest military autocracy the world haa ever seen. If you sent Hinder burg peace negotiations, he would just mock ycur request that lie evaluate Belgium, He would say in his heart, 'You cannot turn me out of Belgium with trade union resolutions.' The answer you csn give him is, 'We can and will ' turn y„u cut of Belgium with trade union guns and trade unionists behind j them.' If a%y men standing in my tsls'c3 can iVd a:? honourable ard equitable way out of this conflict without fighting it through, f^r heaven's sike let him tell me.„ My own conviction is that the people must either go oh or go under."