MR. LLOYD GEORGE REVIEWS THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 275, 9 August 1918, Page 5

MR. LLOYD GEORGE REVIEWS THE SITUATION

THE DECLINE OF GERMAN MIGHT

s ALLIES' PROGRESS FROM CRISIS TO VICTORY

Qtec. August 8, 8.50 p.m.) T / London. August 7. in the House of Commons Mr. Lloyd George, reviewing the war situation, said that had the British Empire, at the start of the war. not decided to throw in Jier whole weight becauso international rights had been outraged, tho history ot the world for generations would have taken a new course. Referring to the JNavjr s service, ho Baid that until tho Nnvy was beaten Germany could never triumph. Britain's naval tonnage, including her auxiliary fleet, totalled eight millions, as compared with two and a half millions at tho outbreak of war.' At least 1,500,000 men. wore engaged in manning and maintaining the British naval mercantile marine. Had tho enemy's submarine campaign succeeded, the war would have been ended by tho threat of the starvation of tho Entente -lowers. Unless the Allies had been completely triumphant at sea from tho,outset of the war, no effort on land could have saved them. Notwithstanding tho enormous demands on tho country's resources for sea-going purposes and essential Allied needs, six and a quarter million sailors and soldiers, including the pre : war services, had been laiscd by Britain aloue. A similar proportion of tho United States population called to the colours would mean nearly fifteen million men. Jhe Dominions had contributed a million. India had raised 1,250,000 men 6incc tho war began. ' • Dominions' Aid and. Counsel. Mr. Lloyd Georgo dwelt on tho valuable aid the Dominions' representatives, especially tno ) Prime Ministers, had given, at tho council boards. He recognised' the dominions anxioty to seo the return/of their leaders for carrying on their affairs, but ho trusted that it would bo possible for them to remain somo time longer, becauso their presence would be invaluable at grave decisions in reference to the coming winter and next year. Tho Military Crisis of March 21, Tho Promier proceeded to describo tho difficult conditions existing on tho front on March 21, when wo wero faced by the flower of tho German Army. The early enemy successes had caused very anxious moments owing to tha, losses in men and material, while tho second German blow might well have overwhelmed tho British Army. Tho Premier showed that tho losses had boon most swiftly replaced. Ho mentioned tho unprecedeutly large number of guns and machineguns at present in Prance. A series of German miscalculations regarding the British Army had culminated in tho British defeating them in two or three of tho most sanguinary battles of the war, leaving them in unhealthy salients commanded by our gunfire. It was ono of the finest things in tho tenacious valour of tho whole story of the British Empire. Referring to tho lads of 181 who, owing to tho great emergency, 'had been sent to Franco with a few months' training ho said: "iheso lads were sent straight to tho front, where they had to faco veterans and victorious troops. No veterans ever fought more courageously than did theso lads, who helped to save the cause of tho Allies from disaster." It was remarkable that tho Germans had left tho British Army alono for threo or four months. They would probably como back, but tho reason would bo that they had failed elsewhere. Mr. Lloyd Georgo paid- a warm tribute to the assistance rendered by the French. "General Foch not only forced the oneiny to a standstill, but by one of the most brilliant counter-strokes of tho war had driven tho enemy back, the danger was not over, but he would be a sanguine man on the German General Staff who could now .think that Ludendorff's plan of campaign would succeed in its objective-the obtaining of a military decision this year. Mr. Lloyd George emphasised tho fact that t'ho Allied "success had been largely due to the rapidity with which tho losses had been made good, and tho rate at winch American troops had been brought over. Theso wero the essential parts in the German miscalculation. After paying a tribute to the bravery of the American troops ho declared that another eloment of success was the Unity of the strategic command, and General Poch's masterly handling of his reserves It was too early yet to predict that tho German efforts had been exhausted," because the Germans still had powerful resorvo divisions, but their chances of March 21 could never recur. America's powerful and victorious armv in Franco would continue to grow until it was nearly, if not quite, as large as the German Army itsoii. Germany could never again maintain tho samo number of divisions ; 6he had previously had. She was now begging Austrian support. Germany s allies 'had been disillusioned about German invincibility. The economic position of the Central Powers, added Mr. Lloyd George, was desperate. Their harvest is not good, and'they are-short of many military essentials. They had passed tho height of their endeavours. The Outlook in Russia, Mr. Lloyd Georgo denied that) we were behaving hestilely towards Russia "It.has always been our policy to deal with do facto Governments, bat it is impossible to ascertain from'day to day what js tho Government of a single Russian, village. Recent events demonstrate that the Russians resent German authority. The Russians increasingly are seeking Allied assistance. We will not •hesitate to render every help to enable the accomplishment of their self-emanci-pation. The Czccho-Slovak movement is a most remarkable one. Tho Czecho-Slovaks only desired to leave Russia and como west to fight for the Allies. They did not participate in Russian politics. We sent ships at the Czechq-Slovaks' request to Vladivostok in order to bring them.laway,' but the Bolshoviki, under German duress, refused to allow the Czecho-Slovaks to reach Vladivostok." Tho Premier dwelt _on this fact because President Wilson had been criticised for his decision, in conjunction with tho Japanese, to send forces to Vladivostok ' for tho rescue of the Czecho-Slovaks from the plight through the orgAnisatioii of the German wair prisoners for their interception and capture. The Peac.e Issue. - Dealing with the question of peace, Mr. Lloyd George said that there were people in every. country who regarded any effort to make peace as dishonourable and treasonable. That attitude must steadfastly ibe"discouraged. Ho asked thoso who only wanted an honourable peace whether this was the moment when such peace was possible.. He quoted well-known facts to show that the military casto was still predominant in Germany, Peaco was unprocurablo fo long as they remained so. He believed in a league of nations, but its success would depend on the conditions under which it was set up. Unless those conditions wero favourable, the Germans might say that they had never been defeated in a military sense, and would have won but for the economic difficulties, for which they* would henceforth profit. Every timo that a decision came to be taken tho Prussian 6word would clank at the council table. What was the good of entering peace negotiations under those conditions? Peace would come when we bad demonstrated to tho enemy that a power lay bohind tho justice which would enforce the league's deeisbas.—Aus.-N.Z. Caido Assn.