MR. ASQUITH ON WAR AND PEACE AIMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 68, 13 December 1917, Page 5

MR. ASQUITH ON WAR AND PEACE AIMS

GERMAN POLICY OF FORCE MUST END (Rec. December 12, 7 p.m.) London, December 11. Mr. A'squith, speaking at Birmingham, said: "History will ask whether it was worth Britain's while to enter this war. Undoubtedly, unhesitatingly, I answer 'Yes,' only provided that the war 'ended in a peace securing the attainment of Britain's original purposes and containing in itself safeguards for its own permanence. Such a peace is the world's supreme need. There is ro greater enemy to humanity than anyone who, by word or "act, makes such a peace more difficult to achieve." Referring to Lord Lansdowne's letter the speaker paid attribute to .Lord Lansdowne's patriotism. He himself had no knowledge of the letter till it was published, and took no responsibility for its terms. Much criticism bad arisen owing to people reading into the letter meanings and intentions he did not understand it to convey. Ho thought that Lord Lansdowne's main argument —that the Allies, while warring vigorously and purposefully, should make it increasingly clear to the world their own war aims, were rational and unselfish, and that by the attainment of these wo felt convinced that the world might look for a durable peace, safeguarded by the conjoint authority of an international league. Even now there was abundant evidence that tlio enemy peoples had been and were being kept in the dark regarding our real purposes, both for war and peace. Ho would continue to do what he could to raiso the veil and let in tlio light. Ho proceeded to point out that nobody threatened the existence, independence, and peaceful enterprise of Germany. What we were concerned with was tho system'which had enthroned Force as its sovereign authority, and which held itself free to pursue_ its supposed interests, and falsify, deride, or supersede, according to the exigencies of tho hour, its solemn pacts. This system must end. Germany must learn that it does not pay. "If there is to bo a real enduring pact," said tho speaker, "thero must be something more than j a paper document.' 'Another misconception is that tho Allies, especially Britain, are aiming at the destruction of what is vaguely called the freedom of the seas. In peace time tho seas are open to the mercantile marino of all nations. What stipulations would Britain proposa in tho peace terms to curtail or fetter this immemorial right? A formula can only bo,used to indicate a now limitation in war time upon the belligerent rights of a Power which happens to command tho sea. AVhero the existing conventions of the. most solemn character have been systematically violated by tho onemy, it is worth while considering whether something might not bo done to secure tho freedom of the seas from the prosecution of a lawless and infamous sub- | marine campaign.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo . Assn.-Reuter.