VICTORY OR DEFEAT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15385, 17 December 1917, Page 3

VICTORY OR DEFEAT.

NO HALF-WAY HOUSE, SPEECH BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE. (Australian and &.Z. Cable ■ Services.) LONDON, December 16Mr Lloyd George, speaking at a dinner to the heads of the Air Service, after emphasising the importance of the operations of the air service as a determining factor in the war, referred to the Lansdowne letter. He said he now understood that Lord Lansdowne did not intend in the least to convey the meaning his words might reasonably bear, and he only intended to say exactly the same thing as President Wilson said in his recent speech. A MISINTERPRETATION. The interpretation placed on the Lansdowne letter by the Allies and enemies in no way represented what Lord Lansdowne intended. He referred to the very active minority of people who thought, mistakenly, that they had found a leader in Lord Lansdowne. The danger was not the extreme pacifist- They should watch the man who thought there was a. half-way house between victory and defeat. "No such house exists," said Mr Lloyd George. "There are men who think you can end the war by some sort of what they call peace by setting up a league of nations, with attendant conditions. That is a right policy after victory, but WITHOUT VICTORY IT WOULD BE A FARCE. , To end a war entered upon in order to enforce a treaty, without reparation for the infringement of that treaty (which was treated as a scrap of paper), merely by entering into a new and more sweeping, comprehensive, treaty, would be a farce. There was nothing so fatal to character as half-finished tasks. Though it was a mean attitude to assume, he could understand a man who opposed the war from the start, but he could, not comprehend a man who holped to commit the nation to a career of honour, and now, before the task was nearly accomplished, wished to shake hands with the malefactor and trade to / the mutual advantage of the enemy. The enemy desired such peace terms. "It is idle to talk of security won by such feeble means. Let there be no doubt regarding the alternatives wherewith we are confronted. One is to make easy terms with a triumphant outlaw, which means abasing ourselves before lawlessness. It means ultimately a world intimidated by successful bandits. The other is TO GO THROUGH WITH THE TASK of vindicating justice so as to establish

a righteous and everlasting peace for ourselves and our children. No> v nation with any regard for self-respect can hesitate a making a choice." Mr Lloyd' George, continuing, said that intensely •as he realised that victory was an essential condition of a free world, there could not merely be no object in prolonging the war, but it would bo infamous to do so'if we thought things, would get no better the longer they fought. It was because he was firmly convinced despite some untoward events and discouraging appearances, we were making steady towards our goal that he would regard peace overtures at present as a betrayal of the great trust wherewith he and his colleagues had been charged. The DEA.DLY GBIP OF THE NAVY was having its effect, and the valour of our troops was making an impression. "If _ the bridge which, when complete, ; ; would carry us over the new world river is for the moment in a state where some scaffolding has been carried away, and much of the progress we had made seems submerged and hidden, and some men say 'let us abandon the enterprise altogether, it is too costly, it is impracticable of achievement,' let us rather build a pontoon bridge of new treaties. The League of Nations' understandings might last some time, but would always be shaky and uncertain, and the first flood would sweep it away. Let us go along with the pile-driving and niake' a real, solid, permanent structure " RUSSIA'S BREAK AWAY. Mr Lloyd George referred to the added difficulties owing to Russia's threatened withdrawal, and said it would be a serious addition to our task, which already was formidable enough. It would be folly to under-rate the danger. It would be equally folly to exaggerate it, but the greatest folly of all would bo not to faco it. He enlarged upon the entry of America into the struggle. She was stepping into Russia's , -place. America had not yet prepared, but soon would be, hence the enemy's desperate efforts to force an issue before she was ready. They would. not succeed. He urged. the need for greater efforts and sacrifices. It was not a time to cower or falter, but to place our feet firmer than ever, SQUARE OUR SHOULDERS, and bear the increased weight. He never doubted we would bear it right to the end. It was absolutely necessary that there must be a further drain on our man-power to sustain the position until the American army, arrived. There was no ground for panic. Even after sending troops to Italy's assistance, the Allies had a marked numerical ttuperiotity in France and Flanders. We had considerable reserves at Home. Much greater progress had been made in man-power, especially in the last few months, than had been realised, but it was necessary to increase our trained reserves in order to face new contingencies without anxiety. Cabinet was prepared to make recommendations for raising more man-power. It was also investigating the best methods of husbanding the existing man-power. The provision of men for the armies was not the most urgent part of the problem We especially needed to solve tho PROBLEM OF TONNAGE. Victory was now a problem of tonnage. Nothing else could defeat us but a shortage of tonnage. The advent of America into tho war greatly increased the demand. Germany gambled on America's failure to transport colossal numbers of, men and aeroplanes to Europe, and premised her own people and her allies that these formidable masses would never find their way into the battleline. Mr Lloyd George foreshadowed the further withdrawal of non-essential war trades and occupations in order to increase shipbuilding. He urged a further saving of tonnage, not only be economising in consumption, but by increasing home production. We had increased the. Home food production from two to three million tons this year. We were * the only belligerent who had increased the food, output during the war. It was essential that we should have another three million tons of food imports in 1918. He appealed to agriculturist*; to assist the Government. Another way to help was to DISCOURAGE GROUSERS. Grousing undermined the morale, and national morale was vital in the question of holding out. The peace propaganda was fed with grumblers. Let us beware of playing these propagandists' games. We challenged a sinister power menacing tho world with enslavement. It would have been better never to have challenged unless we meant to carry through. People who thought they could begin a new era of peace while the Prussian military power was unbeaten were labouring under a strange delusion RATIONING SCHEME READY, . (Australian and N.2. Cable Services.) LONDON, December 15. Sir Ernest Yapp, speaking at London, said the shipping and man-power problems could be solved. The food problem Is the most acute. Lord Rhtindda announces that arrangements are" complete for instant rationing, when necessary. BRITISH AIR REPRISALS, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, December 15. Lord Rothermere, following Mr Lloyd George at the Air Service dinner, said the Board wholeheartedly favoured reprisals if the enemy elects that it should be an "eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." The Air Board detested the doctrine as grossly immoral, but they were lighting for the lives cf women and children, and whatever outrages were committed on the civil population of Britain would be met with similar treatment of the German people.