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Show LLOYD-GEORGE Sees No Prospect for World Safety at Present Critical Stage of War. ENDORSES WILSON Warns Nation There Is Nb Half Way House Between Victory and Defeat. LONDON, Dec. 15. David Lloyd George, tho British primo minister, laBt night bofore the Benchers of tho Grey's Inn pronounced his latest word In tho new phaso of the peace de cision which was launched by the Marquis of Lansdowne's recent notable nota-ble letter. Former Premier Asquith had followed the Marquis of Lans-downo Lans-downo with an utteranco which coupled cou-pled the policy of tho marquis with that of President Wilson, and found agreement between tho two. The premier's speech was pointed, as all the word.s woro. Ho also endorsed en-dorsed Presldont Wilson, but found no common ground in tho paths of President Wilson and tho Marquis of Lansdbwno toward peace. "It was with "painful amazement," the premier said, "that ho had read the Marquis of LansdownO's letter ' Ho declared that tho danger to tho country was not from tho active minority min-ority of .extreme pacifists, but from "men who think thoro is a halfway house between victory and defeat " The premier gave warning against making terms with tho "triumphant outlav." and against "peace overtures to Prussia at the vory moment when tho Prussian military spirit is drunk with boastfulness." Mr. Lloyd Georgo said he saw no prospect for world safety in a league of peace in which tlje criminal was stronger than the law. Ho saw tho critical stage of tho war at the time when Germany- is straining to strike between tho withdrawals of the Russians Rus-sians and tho entrance of the American democracy, and said the destiny of the world depended on what Great Britain and America could accomplish in shipbuilding during dur-ing the next year. The promlor was silent as regards to new and specific statements of war aims, which the Marquis of Lansdowne had urged and for which pacifists are making demands. de-mands. Effect of Lettor. In his reference to tho effect ot Lord Lansdowne's lettor, tho premier wild ho did not fear the extreme pacifists, paci-fists, but that there was an active minority of people busying thomsolvos with the view that tho lettor was supposed to advocate and who thought that they had discovered a leader in tho action of enforcing a vanquished peace. "I warn the nation," said the pre- i mior," to watch men who think there Is a halfway house between victory and defeat. There Is no such halfway half-way house. These are the men who think the war can be ended now by some sort of peace the setting up of a league of nations, with conditions as to arbitration for disputes and provisions pro-visions for disarmament and with a covenant on tho part of all nations to sign a treaty along these lines. Farce Without Victory. "That is the right policy after victory. vic-tory. Without victory It would bo a farce. Who would sign such a treaty? I presume, among others, ,tho peo pie who havo so far successfully broken the last. Who would enforco the now treaty? I presume tho nations na-tions that have so far not quite sue coeded in enforcing tho last, "To end the war ontorcd upon and to enforce a treaty without repara tion for Infringement of that treaty, merely by entering Into a more sweeping treaty, would indeed bo a farce In the setting of a tragedy. "Wo are not misled by mere words like disarmament, arbitration and similar terms. You cannot wage war or secure peace by moro words; We ought never to have started unless we meant, at all hazards, to complete our "Of courso our enemies aro ready to accept a peaco leaving them with some of the richest provinces and the fairest cities of Russia in their pock-els. pock-els. It is idle to talk of security under such conditions. There is no protection for lifo or property in a Btate where the criminal is moro pow erful than the law. The law of na-tions na-tions is no exception. We arc deal-ing deal-ing with a criminal state now, and there will always be criminal states until tho reward of international M crime becomes too precarious to make if profitable and the punishment ot international crime becomes too sure to make it attractive. ."We are confonted with the alter-nativos alter-nativos of abasing ourselves In terror before the lawlessness which means jH ultimately a world intimidated by sue-ccssful sue-ccssful bandits or going through with our task to ostabllsh a righteous and lasting peaco for ourselves and our children. Surely no nation with any regard for its self-respect and any jH honor can hesitate a moment in Its choice." |