Evening Post. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1917. PARLEYING WITH THE ENEMY

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 133, 3 December 1917, Page 6

Evening Post. MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1917. PARLEYING WITH THE ENEMY

*„■ ■ ■ I The now German Chancellor is to be congratulated upon, the success of his, first important, speech to the Reichstag. Ho has banged the big military drum with a vigour which not only far surpaaies the best efforts of his predecessor —the man who disappointed Pan-German patriotism on at least one great occasion by "measuring his words like a meat ration"—but will even stand comparison with the most cock-a-hoop performances of Bethmann-Hollweg. It is true ; that in the Italian campaign and.in the, rapid progress of Russian demoralisation Providence has supplied Count Hertling with better material than ever fell to the lot of Dr. Michaelis dnrmg his brief term, or to that of' Bethmann-Bollweg ■during the period of his decline. In spite, however, of the excellence of nis material, and the excellent, use which ho made of it for the firing of Germany-Is ".hopes, the German Chancellor was too wise to suggest that everything was- over but the shouting, or that victory would ■come easily and soon. The contrast between the body of his speech and the 'moral which he drew in his peroration was irtdeed so striking as to imply that ■toe did not noed a hostile critic to remind' liim of the fallacy o£ the hopes which %is rosy picture of Germany's triumphant progress was calculated to inspire. Somettting in the "^o in and -win!" or "Up, Guards, and at 'em!" style wonld have been an appropriate pendant to that brilliant record of continuous German successes. The Chancellor took the wiser, if leas logical, course of sounding a note of caution, and even, resignation, in his final appeal. "Germany's watchword," he said, "is to wait, endure, bold out."

The congratulations due to Count Hcrtling upon this businesslike procedure have now to bo v increased for a reason entirely independent o£ his merits as a statesman or a speaker. He could not have foreseen when he. spoke that his chances of succeeding in the endeavour to persuade Germany to' " wait, endure,' hold out," would be helped in a way that neither any words o£ his nor any efforts of. the German arms could reasonably have, been expected to emulate. One of the ablest and most respected of British statesmen—a man with a record P< m»fe Jh«n twenty y s& s-s af <Jiet{rtg«isfe=>-ed-Imgejfial f*rvic«> feefeind km^ik man

who, without the arts o£ the rhetorician or the wire-puller, had by his level-head-edness, his independence, his clear knowledge and firm grip of affairs, and especially of foreign affairs; won his place in the first rank—has now provided faltering German patriots with the very encouragement that they needed. Those of them who are open to reason must have discounted the Chancellor's glowing words, even if his own peroration had not done so, but-when so distinguished a representative of hostile opinion as Lord Lansdowne comes along with a message of hope the position is entirely changed. Practically all the encouragement that the enemy has derived from British utterances has been by grossly fallacious inferences from unauthoritative and unrepresentative opinions. Referring about a year ago to a speech of Mr. Trevely'an on the subject of Russia and Constantinople, the Nene Freie Presse said that when "Deputy Trevelyan " rises to pot such questions "a shudder goes through the House of Commons, and perhaps there is even a feeliag of shame at the evil deed." When a leading enemy organ indulged in such moonshine as that, it was only .possible to smile, but Lord Lansdowne is not to be classed with "Deputy Trevelyan," and the help which the enemy must receive from his' opinions cannot be dismissed as a laughing matter. ' . x

The only explanation which Lord Lanadowne gives of his deplorable performance is that he "consulted no one and received no suggestions from anyone." While reducing the mischief by limiting the area of responsibility, the explanation only increases one's wonder at the violation by such a man on such a subject of the ordinary obligations of prudence and loyalty to friends, colleagues, and compatriots. Probably no man with a public career covering nearly half a centnry has committed fewer "blazing indiscretions" than Lord Lansdowne, or has been less frequently tempted to commit them. Yet here, when the destinies of his country and of the world are staked in a life-and-death struggle of which after three years and a-half the issue" is still uncertain, he comes forward to render the_enemy an invaluable service from which the advice of any one among the hundred men who had the best right to be consulted must have saved him. Lori Lansdowne says that he has nothing to add and nothing to retract, but it is probable that the stream of delighted German comment which has already be-' gun to pour in will convince hinr'that he has crowned a career conspicuous for a sure-footed, circumspect, and patriotic service with a colossal indiscretion and a cruel injury to his country. - Mr. Bonar Law has earned the gratitude of the Empire by the prompt, resolute, and dignified manner in which he has faced one of the most difficult tasks that the war has set before him. It was fitting that he, and not Mr. Lloyd George, should be the first to speak, since he was the friend and colleague of Lord Lansdowne, long before the.war. "brought either of them into co-operation with the present Prime Minister. On Mr.. Balfour's resignation in 1906, Lord Lansdowne and Mr. Bonar Law became indeed the joint leaders of the Unionist Partys; and that arrangement endured, we believe, until the rearrangement which established the present coalition a year ago.. It is fortunate indeed that Mr. Bonar Law is now free to declare that the Marquis of Lansdowne holds no official position in the party, and that his views are not shared by any of his colleagues, either in the Cabinet or outside of it. In severe, but studiously restrained,' - language, Mr. Bonar Law declared that "he absolutely disagreed with ° the arguments and tone of Lord Lansdowne's letter, which was nothing less than a national misfortune, and should not have been ,published now of all times." We can safely bespeak for the arguments and tone of the Unionist leader the enthusiastic approval of the Empire as a whole. We cannot parley with a murderons and perjured nation which brought us into war by breaking a treaty, and is quite prepared to back out of the war by signing any other document that can bo as easily broken. While this great criminal Power remains unbeaten, to hold out the olive branch would 'be to hold out the white flag. Germany herself knows that well, and even the faint hearts and pessimists among us can see it just 83 clearly. The British Empire is not prepared to follow Lord Lansdowne's lead, and cry " KameJfad " to the Great Assassin. It is only ■prepared to set its teeth more firmly than ever, and follow the lead of Haig and Beattie to a conclusive victory, ;however long and difficult the- road.