PEACE DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2704, 25 February 1916, Page 5

PEACE DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT

MR. SNOWDEN ASKS FOR TERMS. MR. ASQUITH'S SPIRITED REPLY "WE WILL NEVER SHEATHE THE SWORD, UNTIL " By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Ree. February 24, 4 p.m.) London, February 24. In the House of Commons, Mr. Philip Snow'den, on seconding the Consolidated Bill, initiated a peace discussion. He asked whether it was not possible to end the war on terms and conditions which would realise the objects for which we are fighting. There was no doubt about tile disinterested motives which were prompting people to support the war. He did not' desire an inconclusive peace. The menace of militarism must be removed; but some people believed that this could be secured without waiting for a decisive victory, which would enable,us to dic--1 tate pterins to a vanquished foe. 'It was impossible for the Allies to achicve a crushing victory, and still less possible for the Central Powers to do so. Even if we are able to crush Germany 6y force of economic exhaustion, was that the best foundation for a lasting settlement? The Government should state more definitely Sic terms upon which they would consider peace. Mr. C. P. Trovelyan remarked that both Mr. Asquith'and Herr von Bethmaun Hollweg, the German Chancellor, had let it be known that they were ready to consider peace proposals put forward by their enemies; but neither would take the first step. Prime Minister's* Reply. Mr.j Asquith said ho was glad that the House had listened to the two tpecciies patiently; but he would not l.iko it to go forth to the world that the speakers wore the spokesmen of any substantial body of the opinion of wis country. K6 ■ doubted whether either spoke for his own constituency. A'hoy certainly had not spoken for the democracy of. Britain. Mr. Philip •Snowden had said that we had reached a condition of stalemate. It was a matter of opinion, and of time, whether or not he was riglit; but that estimate of the situation was not. his. lhen, Mr. Snowden had said that if we did obtain a victory it coukl.only lead to an' inconclusive peace. He (Mr. Asquith) adhered to the full tonus of settlement as laid down in his Guildhall speech. _ Not until such a peace was within sight would any of the Allies abate by one jot the prosecution of tho war. t (Loud cheers.) Herr von Betlimantt 'Hollweg appeared to have said he would welcome approaches from other quarters. Then, it must be remembered that he. had also told his fellow-depu-ties that Germany had not shown herself the enemy of small nations. It was Germany .wild had annihilated and devastated Belgium; it was Germany who; _ had done her best to nilllihilate and- devastate Serbia, Montenegro, and Poland. Such a statement, under such conditions, was one of colossal and shameless audacity. He would bo disposed to attach impprtance to_ Herr von nethmann Hollweg's imaginary inclinations towards peace if these wore put, forward in language which sustained arguments not so transparently hypocritical. Other evidence of a desire for peace was in -the attitude of tho German Socialists, who were entitled to respect and sympathy, but that attitude did not amount to much when it was a caso of voting against the war credits. "We Will Never Sheathe the Sword!" Ho had been asked to state our full terms of peace. He repeated his declaration of November '9, 1914: — "We shall never sheath tho Sword which wo have not lightly drawn until Belgium recovers in full measure all and more than all she has sacrificed, until Francs is adequately secured against the menace of aggression, until the rights of the smaller nationalities of Europe are placed upon an unassailable foundation, and until the military domination of Prussia is . wholly and nnally destroyed." Ho could not do more to convince our' enemies that not until peace, based on these foundations, was within sight, and attainable—not until then—should we or our Allies abate one jot the prosecution of the war. (Prolonged applause.) Other Speakers. Sir. S. Walsh (Labour) denied that Mr. Snowden expressed the opinion of organised Labour. He could not understand what had animated Mr. Snowden. Mr. C. P. Trevelyan (Labour) declared that the aggressors should make the first proposals for peace. "Sir W. P. Byles (Liberal) believed that Germany would listen to terms of pcace, because she knew that our military superiority was increasing. Negotiations were more likely to end the war than bloodshed and carnage. The Hon. A. C. Murray (Liberal) drew attention to the evil effects speeches, like Mr. Snowden's would have in encouraging the enomy. These speeches would be. circulated in the trenches. Commander C. Bellairs (Unionist) said that speeches tending to hearten the eijemy came perilou'sl.v near to treason. 'Mr. R. L. Outhwaite (Liberal) said that it would be better to negotiate Germany out of Belgium than blow her out; as in tho latter caso Belgium would be totally destroyed. Mr. C. B. Stanton (Independent Labour) said t that he had listened to tho peace_ speeches with pain and anxiety. His views, thank God, wore entirely different. Ho regretted that men should s!iy such things in the House, and worse to workers. Such' people ought to he muzzled during the war.' Ninqtyfive per cent, of tho workers were loyal to the Government.» .' RUSSIA'S IMPLACABLE PURPOSE NO PEACE TILL HUN MENACE ' IS CRUSHED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Lcntion, February 23. Mr. Harold ' liegbie, the well-known author ami journalist, publishes in the "Daily Chronicle" a special interview with M. Snzonoff (the Russian Foreign Minister). M. Saznnoil' said ho thought the war might be followed by some measure of disarmament. "For forty years the Germans were preparing for war. They sat ou our frontier 'with a stone in their bosom,' as tho Russian proverb says. They hod been waiting to throw the stone. There is no truth whatever in the statement that Russia is dissatisfied with Britain's efforts. V. r e trust you absolutely. Wo know that while England holds the sea, Germany cannot win the war. It is my supreme political conviction _that England's mastery of the sea is tiie greatest factor In the war. Our purpose is to destroy the greatest danger that ever (

menaced the human race.. We shall fight'-' on, and not cease fighting until that menace is destroyed. Wo cannot rest content with a victory which would, permit that menace to again lift up itshead. Victory must be absolute; wa must .bo free to live without continual fear of war. ' "England, France, and Russia are now responsible for the future of Europe, the future of civilisation, and the fate of the world. The destruction, "of Prussianism may take a long time, but we are prepared for that. 'After the war our recovery will be quick and sound. The longer the war lasts the more complete will he the financial ruin of Ger« many. Russia feels with England that the Allies aro fighting a winning fight for the eternal benefit of humanity. Wo cannot stop; wo cannot withdraw." '■■ M. Sazonoff has the deepest admiration for the moral grandeur of Sir Edward Grey, while Mr. Lloyd George, ho says, has become a hero to the Russian nation. ' > Russia, ho said, had v.a designs on Sweden. He added, significantly: "Wo inust obtain an outlet to the.free sea in quite another direction." POLITICAL BLOC IN. THE DUMA. ("Times" and Sydney "Sijn" Services.) London, February 23. "The Times's" correspondent at Petrograd states that three large groups oi Nationalists, Progressives, and Labour members have formed a bloc for tho purpose of overwhelming and dominating the Duma. .