GUN LLOYD GEORGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1918, Page 2

GUN LLOYD GEORGE.

OVATIONED AT. MANCHESTER. THE WAR REVIEWED. [pkr rnr.ss association.—cgcyiught.] (Reuter’s Telegram.) LONDON, Sept. 12. Hon. Lloyd George had a great ovation at Manchester where he was presented with the Freedom of the City. In a. speech reviewing the war situation, he said tlie life and and honour of Britain and fate of the British Empire, and the destiny of on the issue of the yar. The news was now really good, but it- was not the end of the journey. There was steep grades ahead. The tunnel we are passing through might be dark, but it would be short. The worst was over.

He eulogised the great work of transporting Americans across the Atlantic. The Germans did not expect more than two divisions of Americans to be sent, but already hundreds of thousands were in France of the advanced guard of at least ten million of the finest material in the world.

He .declared that in order to realise what happened they must contrast the advance of 1916 with, the recent advance over the same ground. The casualties during the last advance wore under one fifth of those of 1916. Tlie main difference between 1916 and 1918 was the unity of command. General Foch was especially fitted for the exceptional conditions of this war, where battles were fought on a front of three hundred lilies. Nothing but heart failure on the part of the nation could‘prevent- our achieving a real victory. To end all wars, we must impose a durable peace on our enemies. Not only must the Prussian military power be broken, but tho German public must know that their rulers had outraged the laws of humanity and that Prussian strength cannot protect them from punishment. This must be the last war.

VICTORY AND PEACE. LONDON, Sept, lj2

Mr. Lloyd George continued that a' .League of Nations would not, itself, secure the. world against a fresb catastrophe. A League of Nations with

Prussian military power triumphant would be the league of a fox and geese —one fox and many geese—and the geese would greatly diminish in numbers. He was all for a League of Nations. Indeed such a League had begun. The British Empire was a League of free Nations. The Allies also were now a League of free Nations, and if, after the war, Germany repudiated and condemned the perfidy of her rulers, Germany also would, be welcomed to the great League of Nations. The only sure foundation of peace, however, was a victory for the Allies. Peace must he such as would commend itself to the commonsense and conscience of tlie nations generally. It must not he dictated by the extremists" on eitjier . side. Wo could not allow the Bolsheviks to force upon us a peace so humiliating as to dishonour tho national flag and make a repetition of the horrors of this war inevitable. When a satisfactory peace .was secured, we could proceed, with a clear conscience, with the building-up of a new world. The first lesson of the war was the importance of maintaining to solidarity of the British Empire. There must be health* ior conditions in the workshops. Bad health for the nation was a bad business for all. Wo must pay more attention to the schools, and initiate the best conditions for production. There must be a bold reconstruction policy after the war, but tlie war must firs't be won. There wore disturbing social and economic symptoms all over Europe, which we must provide against in the time when we should enjoy the settled weather for the .great harvest which is coming. Referring to the question of rea'ehi ing peace by negotiation, he declared ' that there could be no compromise' between freedom and tyranny. “Wo will fight,” he said, “to the end.”