OCR Text |
Show ASQUITH AGREES WITH EVERYTHING PRESIDENT SAID T.OXl )ON, Pec. 1 L'. Tiie un; rudtf inp sacrifices made by the TJritish people, former 1 'render Asqnith declared in an addren at f',: rminwha m yesterday, proved that the ani'ieiit h nd ingrained spirit of the Jiiliish people had not been sapped by luxury or staled and withered by dotage. "We look to the end," he said, "with the assured and e ver-srowini belief that both in the council chamber of react? and in the ordrin of our- own household, a new era of liberty and justice will he opened." The former premier sa Id that he had had a lar.e part In Great Hritain entering into the war and he unhesitatingly believed be-lieved it had been worth while If the war ends in a peace of security and perma-1 perma-1 nencv. lb- endorsed 'resident Wilson's latest words, as expressing clearly the intenli'ins and desires of the allies. Adverse Ad-verse criticism of the recent letter of the Marquis of I ,ansdowne, he added, was caused by reading into it meanings and Intentions which the latter did not intend to convey. Mr. Asqiiith said Ihere was abundant evidence that the enemy peoples are misinformed mis-informed of the allies' objects, which are not to annihilate the German people, but to destroy the military domination of Prussia. He said that Germany must learn that the enthronement of force is bad business. "An enemy misconception." he continued, con-tinued, "is that the allies, especially Great I'.ritain. are aiming at the destruction for I heir own political and economic objects of wha t vaguely is called the freedom of the seas. Tins formula. If it possesses any relevance, can only be used to indicate in-dicate some new limitation in war time upon belligerent rights of the power, which happens to have command of the sea. No corresponding limitation has been snc:-Kested snc:-Kested for land warfare where conventions have been in this conflict systematically ' violated by the enemy. 1 do not think we are likely to hear very much from enemy lips of freedom of the seas. "The allies are still unflinching' in their purpose to use all legitimate methods, economic and military, to secure a lasting and fruitful peace which the world needs. The allied position is stated with perfect lucidity by President Wilson in his recent address, anil I especially subscribe to and endorse the lanuae he used. When that object is accomplished we shall be free, as he well and wisely said, to base peace on generosity and justice and to the exclusion of selfish claims to advantage even on the part of victors." |