IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14243, 10 March 1917, Page 3

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) {Received March 10, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 9. The Imperial Conference opens on March 20.

RUSSIAS CLAIM TO THE STRAUS

WHOLE-HEARTED BRITISH AS-

SENT.

... PETROGRAD, January 1. The annual New Year's dinner of tiie New English Club "took place to-day. •iir George Buchanan, the British Ambassador, presided, and tbe guests incJudea M. Hodzianko, who is president of tile ilusso-British Chamber of Commerce, and General Sir John Hanbury Williams.

;<ir George Buchanan, in the speech ol die' evening, referred to Germany's peace move, and said there was but one answer which the Allies could give to such a proposal.

We have read in the Old Testatneiu (he said) how when Jorani, King ot Israel, went out to meet Jehu and asiced, •'ls it peace, Jehu?" the latter replied, ''What, peace so long as the whoredoms Of (hy mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?" Our reply, though couched in tlie diplomatic language ot the 20th ijentury, is virtually, to the same effect. Between us and Germany a great gulf is fixed, red with the blood ot peaceful non-combatants. We cannot grasp her hand again until the armies of Germany have been defeated and tlie spirit of militarism permeating the whole nation is exorcised.

During the past two years Great Britain hae more than once been accused ndt only of wishing to secure for herseli the lion's share of the spoils, but ot thwarting the realisation of Russia's traditional ambitions. M. Trepoifs recent statement in the Duma respecting (JonstaiHinople and tlie Straits agreement has laid that bogy at rest for ever. His Majesty's Government, when first approached on the subject early in the spring of 1915, at once expressed its whole-hearted assent. We want to see Russia largely compensated for all her services and sacrifices, we want to help her to win the prize she so long dreamt of, we want to consolidate for all time the alliance which this war has cemented, for on its maintenance depends the ffuture peace of the world. That is the corner-stone of our policy, and now that we are firm friends let us both take to heart the advico given by Polonious to his son. "Tlie friends thou bast and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel.' In the course of his speech »Sir George Buchanan remarked that during the war Great Britain had advanced over £600,---000,000 to her Allies for the purchase of, war material, which otherwise would have been unprocurable, besides what she had supplied direct.