PEACE PROPOSALS.

Grey River Argus, 3 February 1917, Page 5

PEACE PROPOSALS.

♦ !■ speech by mr asquith cannot Parley with : GERMANY AMERICAN'S AIMS AND OURS (Australian and iN.Z. C*tb)<? Assn) c- (Rec. February 2. <;.v> p.m.) n 'LONDON. February 2. r e Mr Asquith, addressing Liberal an< 1- Conservatives delegates, at Ladybanl 1- said he would not refer to the cir ;s cumstances of his resignation. Tin d public attention should not be dis s tracted from the supreme topics, th< c prosecution of the war to a worthy an< c decisive end, and an honourable -an( s staple peace. The Allies', resource; c were wisely organised and they wen assured of immediate victory. Th< •- idea that the war would^ result it s statement was a mere dream. Howevei the fortunes of war might fluctuate - the balance more and more favourec c the_ Allies and ultimate victory was ,- certain. But we must employ our ut most endeavour to accelerate it. c The British .blockade was one of the v greatest achievements in the Navy's f annals. _ The submarine menace was .grave But our naval measures anc shipbuilding would counteract it. I It would be useless •to waste time over Germany's .so-called peace overtures which were transparently insincere and were put forth for ulterior motives, but the Allies were bound to respectfully listen to President Wilson, his Note amounting to a declaration of American ideals. His idea] of a World League of Peace arouses our sympathies. The British conception of the ' enthronement of public right as the governing ideal in European politics did not differ fundamentt ally. Therefore, the Allies, in estimating the minimum peace requirej ments. must remember the dead and also the enemy's character and meth- , ods as revealed .in the war. The guara ntees must, therefore, be tangible ' { a nd solid. By a victorious peace we meant a I peace in the interests of the social and ' moral welfare of humanity. We did not desire more, but could not accept less. .We must concentrate our refurces for a decisive victory in the Id. which would be the precursor cf enduring peace. I £ ; r^^ == mm