LORD LANSDOWNE AGAIN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 269, 2 August 1918, Page 5

LORD LANSDOWNE AGAIN

ANOTHER PEACE LETTER

GOVERNMENT URGED TO EXPOUND ITS TERMS

(Hoc. August 1, 10.5 p.m.)

London, July 31. Earl Beauchanip presided at a moating ct the Marquis of Jjimsdoulie's supporters at the 13-ijex Hall. A letter from Lord Lan-downe was read, in which the writer stated: "We are to commence the tilth year of the war, and shall next week reaffirm our solemn resolve not to desist until we achieve peace villi honour. I have estimates of the belligerents' casiialties, which total thirty millions, of which seven millions have been killed; sk millions are prisoners or are iiiissiii;;. Tlio civilised world's resources are bring drained, apart from the exhaustion of our national wealth. The losses of tonnage ara lamentable, whilo the losses of life us estimated bv the declining hirth-rato have-robbed the European belligerents of 121 millions of piteutial lives. Tho Kegistiur-Gi'iMiral says that every day of the war involves the Ices to Europe of seven thousand potential lives. The war has filled the graves and emptied the cradles. To avoid a dishonourable peaco we are ready to fight to the bitter end. but tho tragedy of these figures is apparent. It would be criminal to continue the war one day after an honourable peace is within reach. The desire for peace appears to be widespread in tho enemy's countries, but we apparently are as far as ever from the end. The tide of destruction continues to How. Recriminations stand in the way. I have in desire to embarrass the Government, but I feel it my duty to give the Government a chance of affording the country eomo reassurance and enlightenment. I am convinced of the existence of a deopv scaled desire for a further explanation; of tho conditions on which we are pro- j pa.vsd lo open up a discussion which will lead to peace. "Have we,' asks His Lordship, "really slated our terms in unmistakable language? Admittedly thero are serious difficulties in formulating and defining the cardinal points. We must make eure that wo are in line not, only with our Allies, but with our Dominions. Wo must face racial and geographical problems of surpassing intricacy. There is a temptation to use vague language and generalities, and slide over awkward (I motions. What is the use of interAllied conferences and the Imperial Cabinet if we have failed to co-ordinate our aims? The Allies' Note of .January 10, 1017, has become obsolete owing to Russia's defection. People are asking whothov no conversations can be commenced before the Central Powers signify their acceptance of the whole, of the demands outlined in Mr. Lloyd Gi'oiro's speech of January 8. General Smuts's speech at Glasgow on May 17 gave the coup de grace to the theory of a' knock-out blow, and pointed tho way to the true conception of flu , sort of victory we regard as indispensable, aiming not .merely at a momentary superiority in the field', but also nt liio permanent security under which it may be possible eventually to realise president Wilson's ideals. I am not positive that wo have reached t.ho stage at which there is a prospect of a preliminary agreement', on essential points, and profitable conversations. There are abuiubnt indications that such occasions will present themselves in tha nr-ar future. Let us bo prepared to uso them in a reasonable spirit, at least giving our adversaries a chance of showing whether their overtures are sincere."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE ALLIES' NOTE OF JANUARY 10 The Allies" Nole of Jun.iiry ]fl, which ivas it reply (o President Wilson's Note requesting a staleineiit of Ihuir war aims, net forth that these aims would be formulated in detail, with all just compensation uiul indemnities for losses, when tho moment for negotiation arrived, but they,were well known to include.primarily and nccc-sarily:— The restoration of Belgium, Serbia, and Montenegro; The evacuation of invaded territory in France, Russia, and Rumania; The reorganisation of Europo on the right all peoples havo lo the enjoyment of full security and free economic development, also upon territorial agreements and international anrj.igemenls framed to guarantee, liuid and fifa frontiers against unjust attacks; The restitution of proviri:iw and territories formerly torn from tho Allies forcibly or contrary to tho inhabitants' v.-ishesj 'Tho liberation of Italians, &lavs, llu-; nianiiins, Czechs, and .Slovaks from foreign domination; Tho liberation of tho peoples from the lying breath and murderous tyranny or the Turks; The expulsion from Europe of the Ottoman Empire, which has 'proved itself alien to Western civilisation. The Allies disclaimed nny intention to exterminate, politically, or to extinguish the Germanic nations, and declared their determination to endure every -sacrifice in order to press lo a victorious close the conflict on which depends -heir own safety and prosperity, and the very future of civilisation. AMERICA'S PEACE PROGRAMME America's'peace programme, "the only possible programme as wo see it/ said tho President on January 8, ''is this:— "Open covenants of psace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be no private international understandings of any kind, but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in. public view. "Absolute freedom of navigation of the seas outside territorial waters aliko in peaco and in war, except as tho sens may be closed in whole 6r in part by international action for /the enforcement of, international covenants. "Tho removal as far as possible of all economic barriers and the establishment of equality of trade conditions among nil nations consenting to tho peace and associating themselves for its maintenance. "Adequate guarantees, given and taken that national armaments shall ho reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety. "Free, open-minded, and absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims, based upon strict observance of the principle that, in determining all such questions ot sovereignty, the interests of tlio populations concerned must have tquTu weight with the equitable claims of tho Government whoso title is to be de'icrmined. * "the evacuation of nil Russian territory, and such a settlement of all questions affecting Russia as shall secure, the best and freest co-operation of the other nations of the world in obtaining for her an unhampered and unembarrassed opportunity for tho independent determination of her own political development and national policy, and to assure her a sinetrt welcome into the, society of i'ruu nations under, the institutions of her own choosing, and also assistance of every kind Siio may need. The treatmcut accorded to Russia by tho sister nations in tlio months to como will bo the acid test of their good will and their comprehension of her needs, as diutin-guif-hed from their own interests. "Uolgiuni, the whole world will agree, must be evacuated mul restored without any. attempt to limit the sovereignty wliich she enjoys in common with all other free nations. No other single act would serve us this would to restore c.nijlidcnco among the nations in the daws which Ihey themselves have set and determined 'for tho government of their relations with one another. Without this healing act the whole structure and validity of international law will bu forever impaired. "All French territory should 1* freed, and the invaded portions restored; and tho wrong done to France by Prussia in IST I in Alsace-Lorraine, which has linpi'ltlcd the peace of the world for nearly fifty years,"should be righted, in order that poiico shall once more bo niade isec.uro in the interests of all. "A readjustment of frontiers of Italy should bs' effected alone clearly recognisable lines of nationality. "The peoples of Austria-Hungary, whose place among the nations wo wish to sec safeguarded and assured, should be accorded the freest opportunity for autonomous development. "Jiumunin, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated and the occupied territories restored, Serbia should bo

accorded free and securo access to the sea. "Tlio relations of (ho eeveral Balkan litnics Miuuui be determined by friendly counsel, aumg historically esuibdaiita linos ot allegiance ana nationally, ana international guarantees of the political and atomic inuepeiiueuce una terriiiiriul 01 liiu several lialkan Mates sauuiu be entered into. "The 'luntisji portions 01 tile present Ottoman Empire snouiu be assured 01 secure sovereignty, but lue otlu-r nationalities now uiiuer Turkisn rule should l)e assured, 01 uiulouui,e(l security of iiio and absolutely uninoicsced oijjiircuuity ot autonomous developments. "The Dardanelles suouid be permauently opsned as a lr«« passage for the ships and commerce ot ah nations, under international guarantees. "An independent Polish State should bo enacted, which should include the te/iitories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations, whicn should be assured free <md securo access to the sea. Their political ami economic independence and territorial integrity should be guaranteed by an international covenant. "A general Association of Nations must be formed, under specific covenants, for tlio purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small States alike." GENERAL SMUTS'S VIEW Speaking at Fairfield, Glasgow, 011 JJay 17, General Smuts iuid he did not believe that an out-and-out victory was possible for any group of nations, 110 considered that the war would be fought to the stage where the enemy would l>e ready to consider and concede terms. It would be a most daangerous thing to go to u peace conference before we knew the principal terms to ba considered. "The Government will do its duty knowing what we are lighting, for. The conference ultimately to be called will settle the details after tlio principal combatants have agreed on the main issue:)."