A Tiger Hunt

Levin Daily Chronicle, 2 March 1918, Page 4

A Tiger Hunt

THE POLITICAL CRISIS. LONDON, Feb. 18. Headed "Asquith or George —ykich would you go tiger-hunting With the "Daily Mail" asks who wants to rr o back to "wait and see," restoring Mr Asquith to Downing Street, sacrifice Mr Lloyd George's courage, inammgation, driving-power, and moral fervour, and the Allies' conflcdence in his leadership, to return to the old regime or muddle, wobble and delay? if Mr Lloyd George is not the best man to win the war, let the old gang and their pacifist friends show a better, and set up a more vigorous, more acceptable administration. They shrink from that test, as well they may, as it would moan their destruction . Neither Mr Lloyd George nor the Government may be perfect, but the Empire and the Allies know that they have the root of the matter in them— the will to win. In the House of Commons, during the debate on the Addressin-Keply, Mr Ilolt (Ld) moved an amendment regretting that the Supreme War Council was only concerned in the task of the prosecution of military effort, and suggesting that there were alternative methods for accomplishing our ends. Mr Balfour, Foreign Minister, said that the debate was due to a misunderstanding of what had happened at Versailles and the reference to it in the King's speech. Tho Versailles Council had met to deal with the great military problems with which we were faced. The Council had not attempted to survey the war aims, and was not fitted to deal fully with regard to them. Nevertheless the council had come to the conclusion that there was .no glimmer of peace in Dr. von Hortling's or Count iCzernm's speeches. Therefore military measures were made more important than ever. Mr Balfour, continuing, said that it was true that President Wilson had foend a more tender tone in Count Czernin's speech, but even Count Czernin was not prepared to accept any of President Wilson's important war aims.

The Government's view was that the attitude of the Central Powers showed iliat diplomacy wr.s at present impotent. The Central Powers,, Mr Balfour continued, had banged the door. The Gorman Chancellor and the Kaiser had emphasised the fact that they were as far removed as three yeargs ago from accepting President Wilson's ideals, to which, all the Allies had subscribed. Germany had shown that she did not mean to come to terms.

Germany's Eastern successes, which were not due to lighting, demonstrated her true spirit, namely, to add to her territory, to secure her military exten sion by acquiring a controlling influence over new great areas and to make her borders secure by getting now al lied populations ur;dcr her control. That was Germany's policy in 1914; that was Germany's policy., vide Dr. von Hertling and the Kaiser, at the present hour.

Everyone knew fat German peace had but one namely, a peace making every other nation subservient to Germany. (Cheers).