THE PREMER'S SPEECH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16852, 21 December 1916, Page 5

THE PREMER'S SPEECH.

; Mr. Lloyd George entered, look-

■ ing pale. His illness has not yet been shaken off. He was greeted with loud cheers from all sides. Cheers also greeted Messrs Asquith and BonarLaw. For the first time in his career, Mr. Lloyd George confronted Mr. Asquith, with whom were some fragments of the late Cabinet. , There was a remarkable scenel "when the little Welsh lawyer, in his day of triumph, took the floor amid renewed cheering. His early sentences about the peace offer and his declaration that "the swashbuckling through the streets of Europe must be stopped," and his ''trust in an unbroken army rather than a broken army," at once brought him mb close sympathy with his hearers, and so the speech proceeded. Mr, Lloyd George at the outset dealt with the German peace proposals. Peace, he said, was impossible without the fullest restoration and reparation by Germany. There were no proposals for peace in the German Note. Entering into proposals of which they had no knowledge was putting their heads itito a noose in a rope, the end of which was in Germany's hands. The Government would give clear and definite support to the Franco-Russian answer, which had already been given to Germany's peace proposals. The Allies Jiad exchanged views on the Note. The enemy's peace protestations were worthless. When he wished time to assimilate his conquests or reorganise his forces for fresh conquests or, secondly, when his subjects showed symptoms of fatigue or war weariness, an appeal was always made in the name of humanity. He demanded an end to the bloodshed at which he professed himself horrified, but for which he himself was mainly responsible. Our ancestors V/ERE TAKEN IN ONCE, and bitterly they and Europe rue it, *£he time was devoted to reorganising his forces for a deadlier attack than ever upon the liberties of

Europe. Examples of .that kind cause us to regard this Note with a considerable measure of reminiscent disquietude. Received December 20, 6.20 p'.m, I suppose the German's had been intimidated into invading Belgium, burning cities and villages, massacring thousands of inhabitants, carryng the survivors into bondage and slavery. At this moment a Note is being written about the unswerving conviction as respects the rights of other nations. Are these outrages to be the legitimate interest of Germany? We must know. It is not the. moment for peace if excuses of this kind for palpable crimes can be ©ut forward 2V 2 years after this exposure by grim facts. As to guarantee, is there, I ask, in all solemnity, any guarantee that ,a similar subterfuge will not be used in future to overthrow any treaty of peace you enter into with the Prussian militarist? This Note and speech prove that not. yet have they learned the very alphabet of respect for the rights of others. WITHOUT REPARATION PEACE IS IMPOSSIBLE, Are all these outrages againk humanity on land and sea to be liquidated by a few pious phrases about humanity. Is there to be no reckoning for them? Are we to grasp the hand that perpetuated these atrocities in friendship without any reparation being tendered or given? Germany leaves us to exact damage for all • future 'violence committed after the war. We have already begun. It has cost us much. We must exact it now, so as not to leave such a grim inheritance to our children. Much as we all long for peace, deeply as we are horrified at the war, this Note, and the speech which heralded it, do. not afford moich encouragement to hope for an honorable and lasting peace. What hope is given in the speech that the whole r©ot t ,cause of this great bitterness—the arrogant spirit of the military caste—will not be as dominant as ever if we patch up a peace now. (Cheers). | After pointing out that the speech in which peace proposals are suggested, resounded with the boast of Prussian military triumph, Mr. Lloyd George declared: We musft keep a steadfast'eye upon the purpose for which we enttered the war, otherwise the great sacrifices we are making will be vain. The German Note states it was for the defence of their existence and the freedom of national development that the Central Powers were constrained to take up arms. Such phrases defeat ever those who pen them. They are intended to DELUDE THE GERMAN NATION into supporting the designs of the Prussian military caste Who ever wished to put an end to Germany's national existence or freedom? We welcomed their development so long as it was on the paths of' peace. The Allies entered the war to defend Europe against the aggression of Prussian military domination, and, having^ begun, must insist that it must only end in the most complete and effective guarantee against the possibility of that caste ever again disturbing the peace of Europe. Prussia, since she got into the hands of that caste, has been