READY TO RESIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18222, 16 October 1922, Page 7

READY TO RESIGN.

PREMIEK'S OFF EH. FREEDOM WELCOMED. POLICY IN NEAR EAST. ELOQUENT DEFENCE. By Talecraph—Press Association— Copyright. '."Received 1150 p.m.) i, *nd N.Z. LONDON. Oct. U. Mr. Lloyd George defended the Government's policy in the Near East at a luncheon tendered to him to-day by the Manchester Reform Club. He was rousingly received when be rose to speak. He said: "Since coming North, I. have not noticed any symptoms of indignation and execration with which the present Government is supposed to be regarded everywhere. On the contrary, I have been received with unusual cordiality and enthusiasm. The people of Britain, he proceeded. Bid not believe that the Government had endeavoured to rush the country into war. "We have been, not warmongers, but peacemongers," ho declared. Nevertheless, the Government had been assailed with misrepresentation like which no other Government had had to face in this country. There were queer people let, loose in the press to-day. The Government's, aims in the Near East crisis had been threefold, the freedom of the Straits, the prevention of war spreading to Europe, and the prevention of the repetition in Enrope of the unutterable horrors in Asia Minor. The Great War practically began in the Balkans. The Government had had to act promptly and firmly. Since 1914, according to official testimony, the Turks in cold blood had slaughtered 1,500.000 Armenians end 500,000 Greeks, The Government had pursued a policy in accordance with tha high interests and traditions of this land. Reply to Liberal Critics. "General Harington," proceeded Mr. Uoyd George, "warned us that there were 15,000 to 20,000 armed Turks inside Constantinople. France sent a message stating that if either the Greeks or Turks invaded the neutral zone they must be resisted with force by the Allies. We accepted that as though France meant it. It is nsdess trying to bluff a firstrate fighting animal. You can decide not to threaten, but you must not threaten unless you mean it. It was because Britain threatened and meant it and the Turks knew that we meant it that we had peace."

Mr. Asquith said that they should show the patient forbearing policy that Viscount Grey showed the Germans in 1914, tad that they should not have departed from the old diplomacy, but the old diplomacy resulted in the most disastrous war the world had ever known. He did not desire to blame anyone for it. But Mr. Asquith and Viscount Grey, knowing Sbeir-own past difficulties and failures, despite the best intentions, ought not to feive thrown stones at people doing their utmost to face enormous difficulties.

' *' I did not improvise the policy regarding Turkey," declared Mr. Lloyd George. "' I inherited it. There was a series of agreements with Russia, France, Italy and Greece to leave Turkey only a birip of Anatolia before I became Prime Minister. Viscount Grey and Mr. Asquith did that. I approved as a member of the Government; so did Lord Balfour, Mr. >k>nar Law, Mr. Chamberlain, and the Labour leaders. That policy failed

through circumstances none of lis could eootrol—the Russian revolution, the United States' failure to undertake the l"?jadate over Armenia, and the fall of M. Verizelos. We had to recatt cur policy and make the beet of it, and we cava secured a bloodless peace, of which Britain need not bo ashamed, securing the L-eedom of the Strait* and of the Arabs, and protecting th© minorities of Southern Europo. Previous Offers to Besign. "Now I must obtrude personal matters because they have become matters of controversy. Sir Donald Maclean, a friend whom I like and respect highly, has finally kicked the Coalition Liberals out «nf the Liberal Party. There are 'Diebards' in both camps. If there is to be a change, no man will welcome it more than L I have had a pretty long and hard spell, and would love freedom. Office is & great shackle. I never sought the Premiership. I offered to serve in any capacity in any Ministry prepared to conduct the war efficiently. I offered to serve under Lord Balfour and Mr. Bonar Law. Again, in 1919, I begged Mr. Bonar Law to take charge, but he refused. Again, at the beginning of this year, I suggested to Mr. Chamberlain that as leader of the strongest party he should take charge, offering to serve under him in any capacity, provided a policy of peace was followed, no reactionary legislation introduced, and the contract with Ireland carried out. Mr. Chamberlain refused, and the Ministry asked rue to carry on. "I should regret severance from men who served me faithfully and helped along, in the country's interests, policies which their supporters opposed. But I would welcome freedom. It would be interestine to watch others in the midst of difficulties they think so easily solvable. I shall watch, for instance, how they forgive Germany her reparations yet make France love us more, how we can pay the United States yet forgive other countries everything they owe us. I shall watch Row they work the education system and give more to the unemployed yet reduce taxation. These are joys in store. I understand a motion will be submitted to the Conservative Convention favouring dispens iug with my services. It would have been more honourable and courageous to have moved it in 1918. On the other hand, the 'Wee Frees' say they will not have anything to do with me or any of my associates. Despite these things, I have many friends among the Conservatives and Liberals and those not attracted to any party. Beady to Appeal to People.

"I am not afraid of the future. I shall cast myself upon people, whose cause I never betrayed in 32 years of public life. My course is clear. I will support, with all my might, any Government which devotes all its energies fearlessly and resolutely to the supreme task of giving the people enough to devote themselves to the peaceful vocations of life, 'always provided they do not embark on measures, whether reactionary or revolutionary, which would inflict permanent injury on this country The future is perplexed. The situatioc of the world and of Britain » too grave for any man to play party or personal manoeuvres. The •Wee Frees' brought the Liberal Party *e the brink of destruction by that kind •I twaddle. Those who are now engaging in the same game with the Conservative

Party will live to reap disappointment and disillusionment. The nation will not forgive parties which sacrificed national interests in a great emergency for party gain 'I shall play no party or personal game. I place national security and prosperity above party interests, and if as a consequence thereof I drift into the wilderness I shall always recall with prido that V I have been able, through the loyalty of my colleagues, during the dark hours of our history to render the country no mean service. I shall be proud of having attempted things which havß still not reached complete success.

" Above all I shall be proudest if this were the last day that I hold office, that it was given to me in my last days and weeks of premiership to involve tho might of this great Empire in order to protect from indescribable horrors hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who trusted in the plighted words of France, Italy and ourselveti for shelter and defence." Mr. Lloyd George spoke 75 minutes, and concluded amid thunderons continued applause. FREEDOM OF THE STRAITS.

PRESERVED BY BRITAIN. OPPOSITION'S ILL SERVICE. A. and N.Z. LONDON. Oct. IS. Mr. Austen Chamberlain, in the course of his speech at the Birmingham Conservative Club, referring to British foreign policy, said: "We have been determined, as far as lay in our power, to prevent the war which devastated Asia Minor from spreading into Europe. I believe'the Government's policy has been successful, but success was not due to any help received from the Opposition in the recent crisis. We have been heirs of the policy of Mr. Asauith and Viscount Grey." Mr. Chamberlain emphasised the neutrality of the British Government as between the Greeks and the Turks. The Turkish Nationalists had been encouraged by some divergence in Allied policy and by their victory over the Greeks to try conclusions with the Allies. Britain's main object had been to prevent Constantinople from i sharing the fate of Smyrna. The value j of the Marquis Curaon's services in the : matter could not be overrated. Mr. , Asquith and Viscount Grey were always; praising their diplomacy of other days, i but the end of their skilful diplomacy was the Great War. J The .Allies hoped and were encouraged by President Wilson to believe that the United States would take an active part in the I settlement of peace with Turkey, and they had been disappointed. Subsequent | events, such as the non-ratification of the i Treaty of Sevres, of August, 1920. and the recall of Constantino to the throne of j Greece, profoundly affected the Govern-,' ment's policy. M. Franklin Bouillon visited ; Angora, as envoy of France, and other events encouraged the pretensions of the! Turkish Nationalists, and gave a suggestion | of a possible want of unity among thw Allies, who, including the French, bad j previously agreed that any attack by either j Turks or Greeks on the neutral aoncs ; should be forcibly repelled. The French | military received instructions to withdraw, j and Great Britain was confronted with a] serious problem. The Government there- j upon decided to maintain the freedom of the Straits until they were handed over to J the League of Nations. Thus the Straits | had been preserved from danger and a peace conference secured. PEEMIER AND KING. A LONG AUDIENCE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association 1 CRecd. 6.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. IS. Mr Lloyd George had an audience with the King'to-day, lasting an hour and a- < half. The Prime Minister presented a de- ' tailed report on the Near East situation. <

WHY FRENCH WITHDREW. M. POINCARE'S DEFENCE. TO AVOID GENERAL WAR. A- and N.Z. PARIS, Oct. 13. At the reopening of the Chamber of Deputies, the Prime Minister, M. Poincare, replyinn to critics of France's policy in the Near East, explained that French troops were sent to Chanak without his being consulted and later were withdrawn, after consulting Marshal Foch, and sending on intimation to Britain stating that the solo object of the decision was to avoid conflict with' the Turks. These troops were in danger, and the first shot would have caused a general war. To avoid this a general withdrawal was ordered. M. Poincare's statement was loudly cheered.