THE PEACE TREATY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 171, 5 July 1919, Page 5

THE PEACE TREATY.

Lloyd George’s Speech

In the House of Commons.

“Terms were Terrible, but so were the Deeds.*’

A Stern but Just Settlement.

[rtM MMrunos— corvaienr-j

London, July 3

The Hoose of Commons was crowded when Mr. Lloyd George addressed the House on the Peace Treaty. Hie Prince of Wales was in the Peers’ Gallery. The Premier was enthusiastically welcomed. He said he had to lay on the table two Bills to enforce the momentous document to which the seal of the British Empire had been affixed. One was to give efiwt to the provisions of the treaty and the other to obtain the sanction of the Anglo-French Convention.

The Premier paid a tribute to the services of Mr. Balfour. Mr. Barnes and the oversea* representatives.

Mr. u»»d CMTBB mM tta term wore lit many reepecte terrible, but w were the deem and the comemiencM thereat hdhcted upon the world. The latter would have been mere terriMo had Germany succeeded. The tormo of the treaty were stem, but iueL

Alter de&cnbing Uvruwnv great downfall, tho Premier emphasiaed the justness of the restoration of AlsaceLorraine, Schleswig-Holstein and Poland, also tile justness of the reputation terms, concerning which ho declared that if the whole cost of the war K.ri been thrown upon Germany, it would have accorded with every principle of civil jurisprudence. The Premier then emphasised the justice of the disarmament of Germany and tbe deprivation of her colonies. Concerning tho latter he emphasised the fact that there was most overwhelming evidence that Germany had cruelty illtreated tbe natives, and in the face of this the restoration of those colonies (especially in view of the part the natives had* taken in their own liberation, thus giving Germany tie* opportunity to make reprisals), would have been a base betrayal.

Tta Prtatar palntad out that Can ■my uoad tar colmti— bi South Africa ta ardor to stir up sodHlon and roMMan asainst the South African Union, and used tar colonics atwwtare as bam for preying on the commerce cf adjaoen tMtataa. "It would have boon folly N we tad ro* wowed Cenuany's opportunities for

The tribunal in Lvn*lvn to try the Kaiser would be an inter-A Hied one (cheers). Officvra guilty of submarine outrages would be tried. They would get an absolutely fair trial (cheers). Tbe Premier challenged anyone to point out a single act of injustice in the peace teems, anything which any perfectly impartial court would not have adjudicated in exactly the same way. Referring to criticisms that though individual conditions might be right the cumulative effect was crushing, and that the treaty, though it might lie just, might not be wise, Mr. Lloyd George emphasised tbe heiuvusness of Germany's oSenre. also tbe fact that Germany suffered less than other countries in the war.

C«nMN*y*s arflaa muat he marked Tha werM mM not take thne risks again. Tbs Carman people were net •eta* pmMM for Urn erime of their raters, far the Corman people had ■nitodty and enthusiastically approved of the war. He unhesitatingiy ehaHongod anyone to point to a single etauoe m the treaty which did net aeeard with the sternest and highest demands of justice and fair play. "We ware determined that the treaty ahenid net bo a scrap ef paper." Tbo guarantee* included the disarmament of Germany and the destraction of the arsenals. The British delegates without hesitation propos’d that the reduced German army he voluntary and long service, thus leaving the mass of the people untrained and rendering it impossible for Germany to raise huge armies. The same airplied to the nary. He proposed to introduce a Bill dealing with the Anglo-American guarantees in the event of an unprovoked attack on France. (Cheers.) France had a legitimate reason for serious apprehension when Britain and America had gone home and the gallant men el the dominions (cheers), who had feught so bravely In France, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Canadians, all of whom had won the deepest affection of the French people—when these had departed and France saw only the Rhine between her and the foe who had trampled her ruthlessly and torn her flesh twice within living

France said: "We would like to know that you Britons and Americans who helped to emancipate our soil are still behind us against wanton aggression. ’ Tho Premier invited Parliament to .<iy “Yss" (cheers.) He did not agree that that would show lack of faith in the League of Nations. The latter would be valueless unless it had the sanction in-hind it of strong nationprepared to stop aggression at a moment's notice. The doenent only Gevid us in the >.a— of wanton provocation i-y Germany. The other guarantee was th army of occupation. France did not wish to keep an army on the Rhine a single day longer than was absolutely necessary and if Germany showed goodwill and gave the n-s.s-s.ary guarantees. Fran«- was quite prepared to reconsider the question of < sen pat ion at the proper moment. Britain wa* directly interested in me question of the co*t of the army of ncvupati>>n Ucause she did not wish to unnecessary expense upon Germany. » lur<> would be the first charge npvn the indemnity fund. The Government had understanding with France the momenGermany carried out her undertaking with regard t<> disarmament. The < ■ -t of the army of o< < •ip.r ren should not excewl 2l a million marks. The agr»*»ment on thi- matter was signed bv Dr. Wilson. M. Clemenceau and hime.'t. 1: required no ratification. Lastly there wa- the guarantee of the League of Nations, a great hopeful experiment which was only rendered possible by the other conditions of peare. It was duo to the world to try the experiment earnestly. The league unfortunately dtd not mean that we would no’ i'r have war. but it would bo justified if it prevented one war. (Cheers.) He begged that nobody would sneer at the league. (Loud cheers, e.-pc-’ialiy from the Labour benches.) He believed the experiment would succeed and that the league would make enme difficult and unsucs's-stul- Therefore he locked hopeful! • re-1 confidently to the league : ;r great things for humanity-

H»< expre-M«d tho opinion that the immediate admission of Germany to tho bague would In? a mistake. The date of Germany’s admittance depended upon herself. tCheers.) If Germany created obstacles and showed that the same old spirit animated her, she would not accelerate the date, but if she really showed that she had broken with the past, that the Ares of war had purified her soul, and that she realised that the policy of the last 150 years had been a bitter mistake, then she could accelerate the date. The sooner that came about the better it would be for Germany and the world.

Referring to tin? German colome.--. the Premier *aid that these would not be distributed among the conquerors, but Mould Im? administered by the Great Powers in behalf of humanity. The mandatory Powers would differ according to the particular territory concerned. For example. South-west Africa, running a? it did alongside the Cape. was felt to be so mtw h a part geographically of that country that it would l>e quite impossible to treat it in tie* siw way as a colony removed two or thn-e thousand miles from the centre of mandatory administration. Doubtless South-west Africa would become an integral part of the Federation of South Africa. It would Im? colonised by South Africans. They rot)hl not have done anything else for they conld not set up Customs barriers and different systems of administration. The same applied to New Guinea, but did not apply to Togoland. the Cameroon* or German East Africa. It would bo found that the conditions of the mandates set up for those territories were the same as applied to the British colonies over the whole world.

Tta rmpcmibllitlcc of tho British Empire under this mandate system

would be enormoueiy Increased. Something like eight hundred thousand square miles had been added to the already gigantic charge on the Empire's shoulders, a charge which had been undoubtedly fulfilled In a way which tad won tta wonder of tta whole world.

Referring to the labour Conference. Mr. Lloyd George said it was a matter of the most vital importance for the world’s future industrial condition. It was intended to s»Mtire better and more uniform labour conditions, and when it was borne in mind that, at tho least, three-quarters of the armies that won tho great victory were drawn from the working classes of the various nations, it was felt that they had won the right to a corner of their own. He was glad it was largely through the initiative of Mr. Barnes that this chapter wns added to the treaty. He hoped this machinsry would enable tta establishment of some permanent means «f raising the level of Labour over the whole world, and not handicapping countries, where labour was well treated, in competition in neutral markets with countries where conations of labour were Inferior. That was the great purpoee

of thia great charter. The Premier prwwdr-d to emphasise that no country had a greater shale in the tremendous victory of tho Allies than tlie British Empire. He pointed out that the Empire had raised 7.7U0.U0T soldiers and sailors (loud cheers) and had raisrsl War Loans totalling £V.SOO,(M.">.iJ<MI. The casualties of tho Empire’s forces totalled over three millions, not including sailors. of whom 15.000 were killer]. The navy and mercantile marine kept tho sea, and without them the war would havo collapsed in six months. During the last two years of the war Britain had not only borne the heaviest burden of the fighting in France, hut the whole burden of the attack «>n Turkey, which had crumbled to dust. (Cheers.) It was a great record and showed what could lie achieved by a great people united and inspired by a common cause.

"Let us rejoice like men who are under no delusion that our troubles are past; the spirit which enabled us to overcome them will also enable us cheerfully to face the future. Let us not waste our strength prematurely tn lighting each other."

The Premier most solemnly declared that in order to prevent the country sinking tinder its burdens and wound' "wo must most effectively use the resources of Britain ami the Empire and make all reasonable men contented.” Ho urged people to support the Victory Lull in order to reap tho fruit- ot victory. Ea< h must give such strength, g .odw ill and co-o[»eration as he could. The Premier ridiculed the idea that now peace had come all would go right without effort. He pointed cut that output had diminished and cast of production increased. That was exactly the opposite road to the road leading to prosperity, as even the Bolsheviks in Russia had begun to discover.

Mr. I.lord (..<•_• ■-•ip Itl.l. d Io .!- pealing lor ■ p. ... - I ;:»■ " ...n--t-jnanre •>: that -j-irn patriot.-tn wliich alone would '.ring u- to a real ami g'oriou- tritlinph. • Loud ‘•he- r-.» THE OVERSEAS DELEGATES I.E( IGNITION or THEIR GREAT WORK London. July 3. Sp akitn. in the Commons. the Premier, in the course of a tribute rendered to the dominions’ representatives. mentioned the names of Sir R. L. Bord«n. Mr Hughes and Mr. Massey (cheers•. who had participated m most difficult commissions, notablv th*- Territorial Uotninission for adjusting th--extraordinary deheate and complex ethical. cerium:?and strategic nuestion- which bad ari-en. Mr. Lloyd Georm- Mini ■ W. owed a grenj deal t<> the abilityami judgment with v hich they discharged their functions." He also paid a tribute to the great body o: experts who had helped tin- innumerable commissions and w hose work had b-'en the admiration of foreign delegates.— iA. and N.Z and Reuter).

In a statement issued from Dr”.: ng street. Mr. Lloyd G-’- rge great

.y regrette-i r iving ir.a i-.ert-nt vomitted to refer :« L rd Robert Ce-'iTs and General Smut's splendid services in framing the League ci Nations Lord Robert Ceci; also rendered admirable services on the Economic Comm Ls. on

GREAT TRIBUTE TO LLOYD GEORGE.

London, July 3.

Mr. W. Adamson paid a tribute to Mr. Lloyd George’s devotion to his supendous task. The Labour Party wanted Germany in the League of Nations after she had ratified the treaty. They wanted a real league, not one between Allied nations. He regretted the treaty did not contain machinery for the abolition oi conscription. Sir Edward Carson eulogised Mr. Lloyd George's patience, courage, and energy in conducting the war. History would recognise that he was the man above all others who preserved tbe liberties of Eurojie. Sir Edward Carson also reciprocated Mr. Lloyd George’s plan for unity. Both bills were read the first time amid cheers.—(A. and N.Z.)

STRIFE IN THE STRANGERS’

GALLERY.

London, July 3. Two women in tbe House of Commons’ Strangers’ Gallery protested against sending soldiers to Russia. An altercation and a fight between t«o men followed. The gallery was cleared after tbe proceedings of the House were interrupted for three minutes.

LUNCHEON TO W. M. HUGHES.

HIS RELATION WITH LABOUR

(Received 5, 9.-10 a. in.) London, July 1. Australian soldiers gave a luncheon to Mr. W. M. Hughes at the War Chest Club. The speakers declared that Mr. Hughes had left a mark on Imperial polities in the last few vears. He had fought stubbornly in the Australian interests at the Peace Conference, notably against the abrogation of the racial lav s. and eulo'-iised his efforts on behalf of the soldiers. Mr Hughes referred to lus position in the Labour parti. He was compolled to take action lx cause he saw certain people were leading the trade unions in the wrong direction at a time when we were opposed to the greatest instrument for the destruction of democracy, namely. Prussian militarism. He "as not a man who clung to I-abour when in office, but he had fought for Labour when he was a pariah outcast. Both General Rawlinson and Marshal Foch had given to Australian soldiers eternal and fadeless laurels. If Australia had not got as much out of the war as she was entitled to. she had learn, ed how to defend herself. There were great problems before ne., which could only he solved by- work. —<A- and N.Z.)

GERMANY HASTENING RATIFICATION.

London, July 3

According to a Berlin wireless message Herr Mueller informed M. Clemenceau that Germany was hastening to ratify the treaty next w-ck and would thus benefit by the Entente's order in such case to suspend the blockade without waiting until the treaty is valid.—(A. nnd N.Z.)