The Daily News. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1916. AX HISTORICAL SPEECH

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1916. AX HISTORICAL SPEECH

The speech delivered by the Ilriti-h Premier, Mr. Lloyd Oeor.e. m tJ-e Hon -e of Commons, in reply to t'e German Chancellor's so-called peac> nropo-als, ;- one that marks the most momentous eia in the nation's hist.iiT. It hss fallen to the lot of .Mr. Ilovd (Jeorge to make his debut in the Tlo'i-.e as Premier under circumstances of a most drama;;.' and fateful nature, aiul all hoi'.;. \> 'h;S keen suffering lately froei ill-health, Ihere was no lack of viper in his utter-

ance;, jo trace of indirc-'Miess in his method of analysing the hollow hypoiritical pronouncements of ITerr von lietlinmnn-HoUwcg. The scene outside and inside the House wa* one that was in every way worthy of so sreai an occasion, and the '.Premier surpassed all previous efforts in his tevicw of tii'n iatest phase of the war. He literally tore to shreds the reiterated German ■ontention of being force! into the war. ind he drew a vivid nhture of the •-'(l'ects of Prussian military domination, igainst which the A!!':e-. had entered t'i«

war. No portion of his spo/di was moii 'pt than the quotation oi Abraham Lincoln's historical speech in which he said: "We have accented, this war (cr an object, and a world-object, and this .rar will end when that object is attained.'' That is the keynote of thr Allies' position in the present w.'ir.

'H (,'ermany professes to he .sudden.v stricken with a desire to put forward the claims of humanity as a reason for the cessation of hostilities, and M-. Lloyd George's exposure ol this moekei y was one of the most incisive 'ind convincing that it is possitle to ccnceivs He clearly demonstrated that Germany made no proposals, except f or the ces-

sation of hostilities (the real, p.irnort oi which was graphically sketched by t'iu British Premier), and gave no puar.intces, but invited the Entente Powers a walk into a trap in t' e shape of a conference. On the other hand, Gci many knows full well the essentials of the Allies' terms, which have neen ei poatedly stated. Complete restitution, nil reparation, and ..'l'enual guaraiites. Yet, knowing- this, Hcrr 'Jollwe"'? speech was a denial of tli,> or.lv terms

1 which peace is possible. 'J he mastei-Iv "peeeh of Mr, Lloyd Ccorge demands ...e most careful consideration ~n order o fully appreciate its ev.ormoi? value, and after a further study of its full noaning we propose to fu'ther comment sn what will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most brilliant ora:ions of our time.