OCR Text |
Show REVIEWS WAR Advent of United States Into War Puts Final Stamp on Conflict. TOASTS TO WILSON America Studying Blunders of Warring Nations Ships Key to Situation. LONDON. April 12, 3:07 p. m. Addressing Ad-dressing tho American luncheon club today, Premier Lloyd George said the advent of the United States in to the war had given the final stamp and zeal to the character of the conflict, which was a struggle against military autocracy. au-tocracy. The premier said ho was not surprised sur-prised that America had taken time to make up her mind as to the character char-acter of the struggle having regard to the fact that most of the groat wars in Europe in the past had boon waged for dynasty aggrandizement and conquest. con-quest. Early In tho war, Mr. Lloyd George continued, the United States did not comprehend what had been endured in Europe for years from the military caste In Prussia. Saying that Prussia was not a democracy, but that Emperor Emper-or William had promised it would be after tho war, he added: "I think the kaiser is right." Tho luncheon, held to celebrato the entrance of the United States into the war, brought together the most distinguished distin-guished gathering in the history' of the club. Tho guests included Chancellor Bonar Law, Colonel Winston Spencer Churchill, Lord Reading, General Smuts, Lord Derby, Lord Bryce, Walter Wal-ter Hume Long, the Italian ambassador, ambassa-dor, Marquis Imperi Dl Francavilla. the Cuban minister. Garcia y Veldez i and Herbert C. Hoover, chairman of the American Commission for Relief In Belgium. Premier Guest of Honor. Premier Lloyd George, the guest of honor, delivered the principal speech after a brief Introduction by Ambassador Ambas-sador Page. The premier received a tremendous ovation when he entered the room. Toasts wore drunk to President Pres-ident Wilson and King George. The premier said he was happy In tho position of being the first British minister of the crown speaking on behalf be-half of the people of the country to salute the American nation as comrades com-rades In arms. He was glad and proud, he rejoiced, as a Democrat, he declared, at tho advent of the United States in this confllct "In three years Ave tried every kind of blunder," said Mr. Lloyd George. "We got into every bunker. But now we have got a good niblick stroke and we are right out into tho course. America Will Study Blunders. "It is worth America's while to study our blunders and begin where we are now. I am so glad the United States is sending naval and military experts to this country to exchange views with men who have been through three anxious years of war." Absolute assurance of victory, the premier said, was to bo found In the word "ships." He saw that tho United Unit-ed States realized this fully and had arranged to build a thousand ships for the Atlantic. Field Marshal von Hindenburg, the premier went on, had declared that German submarine would put England Eng-land out of business before the United Unit-ed States was ready. Von Hlndenburg's Prophecy. "He does not know America." the premier declared. Ho added that Von Hindenburg's prophecy was as false as his famous lino, which we have broken already." Tho United States, the speaker continued, con-tinued, had tho noble tradition of never having engaged in war except for liberty. lib-erty. He asserted the present was the greatest struggle for liberty upon" which America ever had embarked. He rejoiced more in the knowledge that America was going to win tho right to sit at tho conference table when terms of peace wero decided than at tho resources she would bring to the allies. Real Peace Coming. "I can see peace coming now," tho premier declared. Ho said it would not be a peace which would mean endless end-less preparation for strife and bloodshed, blood-shed, but "a real peace, such as this world has never known." Strange things had happened In this war, he declared, and stranger things were to come. Today a devastating war was being waged. Tomorrow perhaps not a distant tomorrow war might bo abolished forever from the category of human crimo. Mr, Lloyd George said it would have been a tragedy for mankind If America Ameri-ca had not placed herself In a posi-' tion to tako part in tho peace conference, confer-ence, with all thj influenco and power for right which she is now winning for herself. Mr. Lloyd George said the United States had helped to win the batUo of Arras because tho machines which made somo of tho shells which had destroyed de-stroyed tho German tronches came from America. |