ANGLO-SAXON BROTHERS IN ARMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3053, 14 April 1917, Page 9

ANGLO-SAXON BROTHERS IN ARMS

BRITAIN WELCOMES AMERICA RINGING SPEECH BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE (Rec. April 13, 9 p.m.) ' London, 'April 12. - Mr. Walter H. Page (United States Xmh'assador), presiding at the Am- •■■ erican luncheon to Mr. Lloyd: George at the Savoy, in proposing the Prime Minister's health, said that America was coming. to the Old World to answer a duty call to succour democracy. The foremost consequence would' he a hotter understanding between the free, peoples of Europe and America. "We have set out to help in the enterprise of having the earth as a place worth living in," he added. "Wo come in answer to the high call of, duty, not for any material reward, or territory, or indemnity, or conquest, or anything. Wo have only a high duty to succour the democracy when it is desperately assailed." - '. Mr. Lloyd George, replying, said ho Was proud to be the first -British Premier to welcomo Americans as comrades-in-arms. He rejoiced at America's : advent into the struggle, because it'finally stamped'the,war as a struggle for' human liberty against military autocracy, and because it would have been a tragedy, if America had not sat at the Peace Conference. "The Kaiser had promised that Prussia would he a democraoy after the war," continued the Premier. '.'I think he was right. (Cheers.) The Prussian ideal at present amounts simply to reconstituting an all-conquering army and intimidating the world. The Kaiser, intoxicated hy Prussianism, delivers law to the world as if Potsdam were_a_newi Sinai and he were uttering 'the law from amid thunderclouds. Two facts clinch the argument that this is a struggle for freedom—America's advent and the Russian revolution. If the Russians realise, as apparently they are doing, that national discipline is ■ compatible with, and essential to, national freedom, they will become a free people. The Hindenburg Line, ' -' . "General Hindenburg has recently disclosed the real reason why Germany provoked America. He has shown that he.was.relying on one of two things—either that submarines would so destroy shipping that England would be put out of action before America was ready, or, when America was ready, that there would be no ships to transport her army. It behoves the Empire and America principally to make Hindenburg's reckoning as false as his computation regarding the vaunted line wliioh we have already broken. "When the Americans were told that they would not he allowed to-cross and recross the Atlantic except at their peril they could not think it possible that any sane jjeople should behave in -that manner. They tolerated it once; they tolerated twice, until at last it became clear that the Germans really meant it. Then America acted, and acted promptly. .' "Hindenburg's line was drawn along the shores of America, and' Americans were told that they must not cross. America said: 'WTiat's this?'"Germany said: "This is our line, beyond which, you must not go.' And America said: 'The place'for that line is not the Atlantic, but on. the Rhine, and we-' must help you to roll'it up.' 'And they have started on the road to victory. Absolute assurance of victory must be found in one word—ships. With characteristic keenness'the Americans have fully realised that, and already have arranged to build one thousand 3000-tonners. for the Atlantic trade. The British are slow,-blundering people, but'they get there. The Americans get there sooner—that is why we are glad to'see them in. We have been three years in this business, and having got'through every blunder we have got a good start.now. We are right out oh bur course." He suggested that. America should study Britain's blunders- from the start to where she now is— not where she started. Burone, after enduring, this for many generations, has now made up its mind thaflhe Hindenburg line 'must he drawn across the legitimate frontiers of Germany herself. " ■At this utterance the audience rose up, and for several moments cheered ■loudly. Tho Real Peace of the World. , "The Peace Conference will settle the destiny of nations and the course of human life for countless years. I see peace coming now; a real peace, which will never know the Btrange things which have happened in this war. But stranger things are coming/and,rapidly. 'Six weeks ago Russia was an autocracy, now she is one of the most advanced democracies in the world. To-day we are waging the most devastating war in history. To-moTrow, perhaps a not distant to-morrow, war may be abolished from _ the. category of human crimes." He paid a tribute to the assistance America had already rendered the Allies. America would not only wage a successful war, hut would also ensure a beneficent peace. "The British advance on Easter Monday," he concluded, "began at dawn. It was work fit for the dawn. . Our gallant soldiers are neraids of the dawn, and tho AHianoe will soon emerge in the Ml radiance of perfect day.' : Mr. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister of New. Zealand) and Sir Joseph Ward (Finance Minister) attended thebanquet.—Renter.