MR LLOYD GEORGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1923, Page 4

MR LLOYD GEORGE.

HIS FOURTH AKTJCLK. The following and ell of Mr Lloyd 0 forgo articles, are copyright by: Foiled Press in America and all eoun- | tries, copy right in Australasia by ibe | Australian Press Copyright in Britain ! by the Daily Chronicle. (Reproduction in lull or part prohiI hi ted,). LONDON. Dee. --'7. l .Mi |,|,,yd (leorge devotes his lourth j ni tide to summarising the eflorts in j 1922 to re-establish peace in Europe. ! He says:— During tlie preceding three years, the tarantella was still in the blood. The mail war dance was still quivering in the limbs. They could not. rest. There was not a country in Kurope or Asia whose troops were not filing shots in anger at some foe. America rang down the /ire curtain until the hysterical frenzy burnt out. Was she right .' It is too early to give the answer. The case is only partly heard. Many witness- , - whose evidence is revelant have not vet entered the witness box, and B will he Mime lime heiore history s verdict on her attitude can lie delivered. Nineteen hundred and twenty two testifies to many st rilling symptoms ut recovering sanity, 'hie distinguished Oeuera! declared that at one period, I think in 1929. thirty wars, great and small, wore proceeding simultaneously. Wlin was to blame' Everybody and nobody. When the angel of peace led the nations out iruin the gates ol hell, no wonder it took the nations years to recover their sight and sanity, hut |<l*22 was a tear of restored composure. The outward visible sign seen in the changed character of the International Conference, the ultimatum kink gave wav to a genuine peace conference. The old method insisted oil h v the French statesmen was to hammer out the demands on the conference anvil, and then send an ufFimntum to the nations, who, in spite of peace treaties, were still treated as enemies. The new method was to discuss on equal terms conditions for appeasement. Germany was not invite! to Washington, and Russia was excluded for other reasons, hut al C alines {lerinany was represented and both (lerinany and Russia had delegates at (lonna. In many respects the Washington Conference was the most, remarkable ever held. Croat nations for the first time met dcldiornttdy to discuss voluntary limitations of their olfonsive and defensive inrres. Mr Lloyd (leorge writes: Restrictions and reduction; are often imposed on t beaten fee. of which the Versailles Trelitv is an example: hut at Washing* tan the victors negotiated the mutual (lining down of navies. It i- true that France and Italy have not ratified this agree meat : that i- a disturbing ‘actor. Their attitude h j n-1 -i1 ■• I in. will toe., the riled ol npselung Ihe balance which it lock ini in tli s ol (ini* and thoughts to adjust. We must, however, continue to hope the wiser counsels will f-r. vail. American statesmanship has given a lead, ot which it is entitlid [o boast, and 1922 brought this triumph "f good understanding, which will five it a splendour amongst (la* years ~f earth’s history. The Cannes and Ceil. l.! (' mferem-os ran also claim oustiinding merit. Ihe nationals, "ho but recently emerged from deadly conlliet there, came together. I bey sat in council without taunt or recrimination. There was a calm iceognitioii not only of the ueods ni the injured countries, hut of'the difficulties of the offending ..tales. There was a resolve to elimiuat the various demonts in tlie disturbance of the political and economic position that had kept Kurope m a lormen!, and that made a restoration im-po-e-dd •. There were ill 'h-iacles iii the way of realising the progiamme. lii-si there wits Fiance's stipulation I'd* the exclusion from the eonlrreme purview ol the problems raised by the Versailles Treaty. This was a grave limitation. Secondly then* was America'.- refusal to participate in these. Probable she had good reasons tor her ibi-a!, bill, the recording angel alone knows then fully and accurately. Thirdly, tin* fall of Al. Rriand’s ministry or the substitution of a loss sympathetic administration. Vet in spite of all these tilings, Genoa accomplished great things. Fn miles who hadn t met for veins, except on the battlefield, conversed round the same table, and broke bread and drank wine round the same foslive board. Rel'ore the conference ended, there was an atmosphere ol friendship which, in itself, was a guarantee of peaceable relations. Thirty nations entered a pact not to commit aggression against their neighbours. Alt* Lloyd George continues :—-When they entered the conference, there were lew of them not oppressed by suspicious that their neighbours meditated violence against their frontiers. All were anxious for peace, but were apprehensive of impending war. Genoa had dispelled those anxieties. One of the most promising results of the pact was a substantial reduction in tlie bolshevik Army. That removed a real menace to Furnpean peace. Tie asks: Where does peace stand!' The weary angel is still on the wing, for the waters Lave not yet subsided. She may. perhaps, find a footing in the Great West. In Britain she is fairly safe, but not yet in Ireland, but the Continent of* Kurope is still swampy and insecure. The recent debate in the French Chamber on reparations is not encouraging. The only difference displayed was between those who advocated an advance into Ruhr and those who preferred developing the left bank of the Rhine. Occupying, controlling, development, annexing—they all mean the same tiling—tearing Hie Rhine from Germany. and grafting it on to France. There is no per.ee in this talk. It is a sinister note on which to end the pacific music nf 1922. We must interpret it in connection with tin* Russo-German agreement. Since then. Tchitrherili. j the spirit nf mischief incarnate, has almost made Berlin his abode. The men who are devoting their ingenuity to devising new torments for Germany are j preparing new terrors tor tbe*r own and : their neighbour’s children. The year , ends with rumours of great American | projects financially to assist: Germany. ; Tf such a loan is likely to materialise, \ tl-e projectors will be wise in imposing ; conditions to afford a chance of reeeiv- j jug payment of moderate interest in j the lifetime of this generation. No . prudent bankers will lend money on the . security of a volcano.