THE WAR REVIEWED,

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1918, Page 1

THE WAR REVIEWED,

[l’ETt PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.]

BRITAIN’S 'PRIME MINISTER

HIGH TRIBUTE TO THE NAVY . AND THE DOMINIONS

London, August 7 In the House of Commons, the Hon Mi* Lloyd George, reviewing the war situation, said that had the British Empire at the start of the war not decided to throw in its whole weight because of tin international right and outrage the history of the world for generations would have taken a new course.

Beferring to the Navy’s services he said that until the Navy was beaten Germany could never triumph over the British. The naval tonnage, including the auxiliary fleet, totalled eight millions, compared with two and a half million at the outbreak of the war. At least 1,500,000 men were engaged in manning and maintaining the British Naval and Mercantile marine. Had snbmarinism succeeded, the war would have been ended by the threat of starvation to the Entente. Unless the Allies had been completely triumphant at sea from the outset of the war, no effort on lmd could have saved them. Notwithstanding the enormous demands on the country’s resources for sea-going purposes and essential Allied needs, 6,250,000 sailors and soldiers, including pre-war services, had been raised in Britain alone and j a similar propottion of the United 1 States’ population called to the colours _ would mean nearly fifteen million , men. The Dominions had contributed a million. He dwelt on the valuable aid of the Dominions’ representations, especially of the Prime Ministers at the Council Boards. He recognised ] the Dominions’ anxiety for carrying on their affairs, but lie trusted that

it would be possible that they remain some time longer, because their presence would lie invaluable at the grave decisions in reference to the coming winter and next year. Air Lloyd George continuing, said that India had raised four million men since this war. The Premier proceeded to describe the difficult conditions existing at the front on the 21st March, when we were faced by the flower of the Ger-

man Army. The early enemy success caused very anxious moments, owing to the losses of men and material. The second German blow might well have overwhelmed the British Army. The Premier showed that our losses were most swiftly replaced. He mentioned unprecedently, the large number of guns and machine-guns at present in France, and 1 lie series of German miscalculations regarding the

British Army, culminated in the British defeating them in two or three of the most sanguinary battles of the war, leaving them in unhealthy salients which were commanded by onr gunfire, was one of the finest things in the tenacious valour of the whole story of the British Empire. Referring

to the lads of IS.I who, owing to the great emergency were sent to France with a few months training, he said the lads were sent straight to the front, where they had to face veterans arid victorious troops. No veterans ever fought more courageously than those lads, who helped to save the cause of the Allies from disaster. It was remarkable that the Germans left the British Army alone for three or four months. They would probably have come back, but the reason would be that they failed elsewhere. : Mr Lloyd George warmly tribnted the French assistance to the British. .

He said that General Foch, not only forced the enemy to a standstill, but by one of the ; most brilliant counter strokes of the war, had driven the enemy hack. The danger was not over but he was sanguine that there was not a man on the German General Staff who did not now think that Ludendorff’s plan of campaign could not succeed in its objective of obtaining a military decision this year. He emphasised that the Allied success was largely due to the rapidity, wherewith the losses wore made good, and the American troops which had been brought otfer, were essential parts to the German miscalculation. After paying a tribute to the bravery of the American troops, he declared that another element of success was the unity of the strategic command and General Foch’s masterly handling of his reserves, ft was too early to predict that the German efforts were exhausted, because the Germans still had powerful reserve divisions, lint their chances of the *2 st of March would never recur. America’s powerful and victorious army in France would lie not quite as lai’ge as the German Army itself. Germany could never again maintain the same number of divisions as she previously had. She was now begging for Austrian support.. Germany’s Allies were disillusioned about the German invincibility. The economic position of the Central Powers was now desperate, their harvest was not good, and'they were short of many essentials. Militarily, they had passed the. height of t heir endeavours.

Air Lloyd George denied that, we are behaving hostilely towards Russia, ft was always onr policy to deal with the effective Governments, but it was impossible to ascertain to-day what is the Government of a single Russian village. Recent events demonstrated that the Russians resent German authority. The Russians are increasingly seeking Allied- assistance. We do not hesitate to render every ]ielp, to enable their se|f-emancipa-

ion. The Czecho-Slovak’s movement is a most remarkable one. The Czecho-Slovaks only desired to leave Russia to come to tight for the Allies. The Czecho-Slovaks did not participate in Russian politics. We had sent ships at the Czeeho-Slovak request to Vladivostoek in order to bring them away, but the Bolsheviks, under German duress had refused to allow the Czecho-Slovaks to reach Vladivostoek. He dwelt on this fact

beoanse President Wilson’s action had been criticised for his decision in conjunction with the Japanese io send a force to Vladivostoek for tho rescue of the Czecho-Slovaks from their plight through the organisation of German war prisoners for their inception and capture. Dealing with the question of peace he said there were people in every country who regarded that any effort to make peace, as dishonourable and treasonable. That attitude must steadfastly be discouraged. He asked those who only* wanted an honourable peace whether this was the moment when such peace was possible.

Air Lloyd George quoted well-known facts to show that the military caste still predominated in Germany ami that peace was unprocurable'as long as they remained so.

Ife believed in the League of Nations hut its success would depend on (lie conditions under which it was set up, and unless those conditions were favourable the Germans might say that they were never defeated militarily and would have won but for economic difficulties, wherefore they would henceforth profit every time that a decision came to be taken, and the Prussian sword would clank at the Council table. W hat was the good of entering into peace negotiations under these conditions. Peace would come when we demonstrated to the enemy that the power lay behind the justice which would enforce the League’s decisions.