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? WATCH MAX, Brt?l> . Consolidated Aug. 2,1 Ulli GEORGE'S SPEECH. UJUIAT BRITAIN'S ALMS SPECI F1CALLY STATU). - *myd George Sets Forth l*urpos? of War In Clearer Terms and at Great er Length Than Erer Before; War Hoe One of Aggression and Makes Jto Cffort to Break up German Pea* bat Invaded tanneries Must be .Nation Stands by French London. Jan. I.?The Br'tlsh prime fesnlster. David Lloyd Gecrge. today aVt forth Oreat Britain's war aim more specifically and at greater length before the delegates of the trades unions than he had ever done refers. Having first declared that it wa< net a war of aggression against Gsr Inany or the Gsrman peopls, and that Che breaking up of the Qerman peo? ples or the disintegration of their tagte was not one of the objects for which the allies were fighting, he pro eaeded to mention the fundamental is ttuee for which Britain and her allies were contending. . First among these was the restom tion of Belgium and reparation foi injuries Inflicted. Nsxt came t) ' lidetoratlon of Ssrvls. Montenegro an?. Che occupied parts of France, Italy sad Roumanla. France must have .tlgevcs-Lorrslns, and to this end, said wie premler, the British nation would stand by the French democracy to th? death. The question of Russia was touch? ed upon, and Mr. Lloyd George said Utat Italy would have been proud to nght by the side of the new Russian gemeoracy. But now Russia could enry be saved by her own people. He declared an independent Poland an argent necessity for ths stability of Western Europe. Roumanla Is to be protected end Ige British and other allies are with Italy In her desire for complete un? ite ef the people of Italian race and Ifthges Of Austria-Hungary he felt, ||tt While the breaking up of the diu.I rdom wss no part of the allied for ths removal of causes of unrent lib that part of Kurope unless genuin? tett-government was granted tha Agntro-Hungarian nationalities. Ths Turkish empire, within the homelands of the Turkish race, witn Constantinople as Its capital, may be Maintained. But the passage between the Mediterranean and Black Sea.' must be Internationalised and neu? tralised, and In the British view Are ale. Armenia. Mesopotamia. Syria and Palestine are entitled to recognition ef thslr asperate national condiUons. Ths matter of ths German colonies, all of which are now in ths hands ol the allies, will bs placed before s conference, whoee 'decision, however, must consider ths wishes and Interest Of ths Inhabitants. Ths premier mads brief reference la ths violations of International Ian Committed by Germany, with special emphasis on ths sea and ths peac? conference, he. declared, must not Iohp sight of ths outrages suffered by Brit Ish and other seamen. Ths three cardinal points of ths British tsrms. as enunciated by the British prime minister, are: Re-es tabllshment of the sancltlty of trea? ties; territorial settlement bassd on the right of self dstsrmlnatlon or tie consent of ths governed, the oreatlon Of an international organisation to Itmft armaments and diminish the probability of war. No British statesman since ths be? ginning of ths war has given such a dstallsd and explicit statement of Britain's war alms as contained in the premier's address, wh.ch was deliver? ed before the man-power conference of the labor leaders In Westminster Three hundred were present slso Sir Auckland Geddes, mtn of national service, and George Roberts, minister of labor. Geo IsS Barnes, member of 'h.' war cabi? net, presided. Ths proceedings were private neither ths public nor members of the press being admitted, and after th" meeting the delegates dispersed to their homes, mostly in the north for consultation with their constituents They will reassemble for the conclu? sion of ths negotiations with the min? ister of national sen Ice over the pro. possd sxtenslon of recruiting. In whlcb the government wlihes to include cer? tain classes ol skilled workers, to whom exemption was provided when ths conscription bill was adopted. Most ef the labor men who com msntsd on the spearh indorsed It. Hut Mr. IJoyd Gsorgs went further on some important points thtn was an rtelpatsd Again he has drawn a sharp and dsflntts Uns aglnst Oaf fcfted April, 1M0. "Be Imm tut 881. S? many on the question of Alsace-Lor? raine. It may be recalled that the Gorman foreign minister, Dr. von Kuehlmann, recently declared that that alone prevented the belligerents from meeting on a common peace ground. In fulfillment of a promise to ad? dress the delegates of the trades un? ions who are now discussing the ques- i ; tion of man power with Sir Auckland Geddes, minister of national aervlce, ( Premier Lloyd Qeorge made a state? ment today of the war alms of Great Britain: "When men by the millions are called upon to suffer and die, and vast populations are being subjected to the sufferings and privations of a war unprecedented in the history of the world" he said, "they are entitled to know for what cause or causes they are making the sacrifices. Only the clearest, greatest and most just of causes could justify the continuance even for a day of this unspeakable agony of nations. "We ought to be able to state clear? ly ind definitely not only the princi? ples for which we are fighting, but their definite, concrete application of the war map of the world. We have arrived at the most critical hour of this terrible conflict and before gov? ernment takes the fateful decision g? to the conditions under which it ought either to terminate or continue the struggle ought to be satisfied that tho conscience of the nation is behind these conditions." I The premier said that during the ilast few days he had taken special pains to ascertain the view and atti? tude of representative men of all sec I tlons of thought in the country. He had read the statement of labor's war alms; he had discussed war aims I with Mr. Aaqulth, the former pre? mier, and Viscount Grey, the former foreign secretary. Had the Nation? alist leaders In Ireland not been en? gaged with the ta:igled problem of ! Irish self-government he would hava bc?>n happy to exchange views with them but Mr. Redmond, speak in* ir their behalf, had made clear what his , Ideas are as to the object and purpoue of the war. He nad also consulted with representative of the overseas ^domftiTftha "* . As a result of these discussions, he continued, although the government alone was responsible for the actual language he proposed using, there was national agreement as to the charac? ter and purpose of the nation's war alms and peace conditions. He was , speaking, therefore, not merely the mind of the government, but the mind of the nation and empire. , "We may begin by clearing away k some misunderstandings," said the premier, "and stating what we are I not righting for. We are not fighting . a war of aggression against the Ger . man people. Their leaders have per? suaded them that they are fighting i , war of self-defense against a league of rival nations bent on the destruc? tion ad disruption of Germany. The f destruction or disruption of Germany . has never been a war aim with us. I ( Most reluctantly and quite unprepar ^ ed we were forced to Join in this war in self-defense, in defense of violated ' law in Europe. "The British people have never , aimed at the brer king up of tho Ger? man peoples or the disintegration of their stale. Our wish is not to destroy German>'s great position in the , world, but to turn her aside rrom schemes of military domination to de vote her strength to the beneficent tasks of the world. "We are not fighting to destroy Austria-Hungary or to deprive Turke> of Its capital or the rich lands of A Mia-Minor and Thrace, which are predominately Tgrkish. "We are not fighting to destroy th; German constitution although we SOUS!OjOff a military, autocratic consti? tution a dangerous anachronism. Our viewpoint is that the adoption of t democratic constitution by Germany would be tho most convincing evi? dence that her old spirit of militars domination had indeed died in this war, and It would make it much eas? ier for 'js to conclude a broad, demo? cratic peace with her. Put this Is 0 question for t ho' German people to decide. "It 1m more than a year since the president of the I'nlted States advised the belligerents by suggestion that each side should sfato clearly the aims for which they were fighting We replied The central powers did not, and they have maintained com plete silence a* to the aims for Whlctl thev are fighting. Kven on as crucial a matter as their Intention regarding Belgium they have declined to give a trustworthy indication." P'ferring to the pronouncement by ('onnt CgorMlli the Austro-IIungarian foreign mlnistor, at tho Brest-Lltovs* id Fear not?Dec ell the ende Thon All MTEB, 8. 0., WEDNES peace conference on December 26, that It was not the intention of the i central powers to appropriate forcibly , any occupied territories or rob of its; independence any nation which lost; its political independence during tho \ war. Mr. Lloyd George said it was obvious that any scheme of conquest! and annexation could be perpetrated within the literal interpretation of! such a pledge. "We must know what it meant," said the premier," for equality 0f( right amongst nations, small as well1 as groat, la one of the fundamental | Issues this country and her allies are fighting to establish." Reparation for Belgian towns and villages and their inhabitants, he as parted] had been repudiated emphati? cally by the central powers, and tho rest of their socalled offers were al? most entirely a refut/al of all concef stone. On one point only were they clear. Under no circumstances would Germany's demand for the restoration of the whole of her colonies be de? parted from. All the principles 'of self-determination here vanished. "It is impossible to believe that any permanent peace can be erected on such a foundation," said the pre? mier. "Mere lip service to the for? mula of no annexation, no indemnity and self-determination is useless. "The days of the treaty of Vienna are long past. We can no longer sub? mit the future of European civilisa? tion to the arbitrary decision of a few have been the complete restoration, political, teritorial and economic of the independence of Belgium and such reparation as can be made for the devastation of its towno and provinces. It is no de? mand for war indemnity, but insistence that before there can negotiators striving to secure by chicanery or persuasion the inter jests of this or any dynasty or nation "The first requirements always made by the British and their alljwj have been th complete restoration, po? litical, territorial and economic of the independence of Belgium and such reparation as can be made for the de? vastation of its towns and prolnvces. It is no demand for war indemnity, but insistence, that before t hence*jsun be any hope of stable peace this great breach of public law in Europe must be repudiated, and, so far as is pos? sible, repaired. "Reparation means recognition. Unless International right is recogniz? ed by insistence of payment for in Jury done in deflnance of its canons. It can never be a reality. Next comes the restoration of Serbia, Montenegro and the occupied parts of France, Italy and Roumanla, the complete withdrawal of alien armies and rep l aratlon for injustice done is the fun? damental condition of a permanent peace. f "We mean to stand by the French democracy to the death in the de? mand they make for a reconsideration of the great wrong of '71 when Al? sace-Lorraine was torn away. This sore nan poisoned the peace of Eu? rope for half a century, and until cured healthy conditions can not be restored." The premier said he would not at? tempt to deal with tho question of the Russian territories now In German occupation. Referring to the facts that the war was started by Russia's decision to protect Servian independence, and that the present rulors of Russia had entered Into separate peace negotia? tions the premier said. "I am in? dulging in no reproaches, I arn stat? ing facta to make It clear why Britain can not be held accountable for de? cisions taken in her absence and con? cerning which she wan not consult? ed, or her aid Invoked. "Nobody who knows Prussia and her designs toward Russia can doub* ! her ultimate aim. Whatever phrases she uses to delude Russia she doe? [not mean to surrender any of the Russian provinces and citlos occupied. Under one name or another they will henceforth be part of tho Prussian dominions, and the rest of the Run sians will be enticed or bullied into complete economic and ultimate po litlcal enslavement. "Democracy in this country will stand to the ln.st by the democracies "f France and Italy. We should b< proud to fight to the end side by sldt I with the new Russian democracy. ?0] would America. France and Italy But if the present rulers of Rus^r act so independently we have nr means to arreel the catastrophe. Rus? sia can only be saved by her own peo pie. "An independent Poland Is an ur gent necessity for the stability o western BUrope. "Thonjrh we egrCC with rresiden' Wilson that the breaking tip of Aus tr!a*Htingary is no pari of our war net at be toy Country**, ?fej God's ai DAY, JANUARY 9, 191 aims, we feel that unless genuine ;i self-government on true democratic I principles is granted those Austro-1 Hungarian nationalities who have i long desired it, it is impossible to hope (or the removal of those causes of unrest in that part of Europe. "On the same grounds we regard ! as vital the legitimate claims of the Italians for union with those of their' own race and tongue. We also meani to press that justice be done to the men of Roumanian blood and speech In their legitimate aspiratiohs. If the conditions were fulfilled Austria-Hun-1 gary would become a power whose strength would conduco to the per? manent peace nnd freedom of Europe. "Outside of Europe we believe that the samo principles should be applied.. "While we do not challenge the maintenance of the*Turkish empire in I the homolands of the Turkish race, with its capital Constantinople?the j passage between the Mediterranean und the Black sea being internation? alized and neutralized?Arabia, Ar jmenle, Mesopotamia, Syria and Pales j tine are, in our judgment, entitled to ! recognition of their separate national conditions. "Respecting the German colonies, they are held at the disposal of a ! conference whose decision must have primary regard to the wishes and ln interests of their native inhabitants. The governing consideration in all these cases must be that the inhabi? tants shall be placed under control of an administration acceptable to them telves, one of whose main purposes will bo to prevent their exploitation for the benefit of European capitalists or governments." Tho chiefs and councils, said tho premier, were competent to consult with and speak for their tribes and thus to separate their wishes and in? terests regarding their disposal. "Finally," continued tho premier, "there must be reparation for in? juries done in violation of interna? tional law. The peace conference must not forget our soamen and tho services they have rendered and the outrages they have suffered for the common cause of freedom. , "One rogrettable omission we no? ticed in the central powers' proposals. We believe that a great attempt must be made to establish a great Interna? tional organization as a means of set i tling interntional disputes. War is a relic of barbarism, and as law has succeeded violence in the settlement of individuals' disputes, so it is des? tined to settle national controversies. "We are fighting for Just and last? ing peace," declared the premier in conclusion. "Three conditions must be fulfilled: Firstly, the sanctity of treaties must be reestablished; sec } ondly, territorials must be based on j the right of self-determination or the j consent of the governed; lastly, the j creation of an international organ iza {tion to limit armaments and diminish I the probability of war. "To secure those conditions, the [ British empire is prepared to make 1 even greater sacrifices.'' FIRE IN HOBORKX. Serious Conflagration Threaten* Gov. eminent Controlled Water Front. Hoboken, Jan. 4.?A fire which threatened the part of the water front which is within government control broke out this morning and two hours later It continued to spread. All avail? able fire apparatus was called out to prevent the spread of the flames to a nearby munitions factory. Paper stock valued at one hundred thousand dollars was destroyed In the Gattl McQuade building, where the blaze started. Fire Under Control. Hoboken, Jan. 4.?The fire was got? ten under control after a fight of several hours, with a loss of a quar? ter of a million dollars. A number of Hremen who were overcome by cold and smoke were removed to hospitals. M'GOWAN MAN FOR OFFICE. Carolinian Well Fitted for Cabinet Pont as War Purchaser. Washington. Jan. 4'.?Several bills have been Introduced since congress reassembled for the establishment of a department of munitions which should have charge of purchases of' all war materials for the govern? ment, tho secretary of this depart? ment to have a place in the presi? dent's cabinet. If such a position Is] 'rented, the man who seems to be] destined for It by force of his re? markable record is Rear Admiral Lemuel McGowan, chief of the Du ~eau of Suflpllei and Accounts of the navy. The prediction is frequently heard here that this young South Car? olinian's wonderful ability will be recognized by such supreme Utilise? lion before the war is over. id Traflh**" THE TRUE 8 SHORTAGE MENACE TO ALLIES FOOD SITUATION SEJUOVS IN ENGLAND, FRANCE AND ITALY. British Food Controller Outlines Con- , dition Described as Worst Since Re-: ginning of War. Washington, Jan. 6.?The food situ- | ation in the allied countries of Eu- j rope is graver than it has been atj any time since the beginning of the war and is giving American govern? ment ofllotail deep concern. Official reports picture extreme food short? ages in England, France and Italy. The fact that conditions in Germany and Austria are far worse offers the i only ground for optimism in viewing the situation. In England and France the situa? tion is described as critical in a cable? gram to the food administration today from Lord Rhondda, the British food controller, which concluded with these words: "I view the situation with grave anxiety." I Yesterday a cablegram from the French government aaid that the wheat crop had been requisitioned and that the bread ration would be cut to allow only f.-even ounces of bread .daily to all persons except the very I poor and those doing hard manual .labor. In Italy conditions are not as good perhaps as in either England or , France. Compulsory rationing will ,be started in England immediately jwith meats the first commodity to be jput under control. Distribution of I butter and margarine will be taken in , hand next and other foods will be . added as they become scarcer. All of 1 the principal food stuffs will be ra? tioned by April. "I have repeatedly said in public and private that there is no reason j for immediate alarm, although thore ? is every reason for strict economy and ? precautionary measures," said Lord Rhondda's message. "The food posi? tion in this country, and I understand I In France also, can without exagger j atlon be described as critical and serl j ous." Compulsory control of f6"od bluffs in England, France and Italy was in t sisted on by the American delegates to the Paris conference and was .promised at that time. ; BOLSHEVISM STRENGTHENING FRONT. j Will Send Home all Men Who Do Not Wish to Fight. London, Jan. 7.?The Bolshevik! ? are definitely strengthening their front, Petrograd advices say. A cor? respondent of The Daily News obtain? ed the information from IL Radke, one of the Russian delegates who took a prominent part in the negotia? tions between the Russians and Ger? mans at Petrograd. He said the Bol? shevik! Intended tosend home the men who didn't wish to fight, so as to have room for an army willing to fight for their ideal. OPERATORS MAKING EXCESSIVE PRICES. Tborne Says Government Price Fixing Had Advanced Prices. I Washington, ;Jan. 7.?Clifford jThorne, of Chicago, who told the ' senate investigating committee today ; he had made a study of the coal sit? uation for the past six months, de? clared that government price fixing had advanced prices, that operators are making excessive profits and that the public didn't have sufficient voice In the governmental investigation to gain data for price regulation. BARLE READING NEW AMBAS? SADOR. ,1 ? Will be Direct Representative of The British Empire. London, Jan. 7.?Earle Heading. Lord Chief Justice, will go to the United States as the direct represen? tative of the British war cabinet, ac? cording to the Daily Express. While Earle Beading will have the title of ambassador, purely diplomatic mat? ters will be in the hands of the charge d'affairs. Administration to Control Twine. Washington, Jan. 7.?The food ad? ministration has arranged to control during 1018 the supply of binder twine, so important to the farmers, particularly those in granger states. Reasonable prices, though not so low IS formerly, are expected. London, Jan. 7.?There is occa ?tonml hostile artillery activity to the southeast of MesMnes. Flanders, the war office report says. SOUTHRON, UmmM*?? h?. VoLXLV. No. 42. BIG SHIPBUILDING PLANS. BOARD CALIFS ON CONGRESS FOR MONEY. Legislative Bodies Ask flaw Authority to Place Additional C ontracts To? talling Largo Amount Washington, Jan. 4.- Plans for a $2,000,000,000 government shipbuild? ing program were revealed today when the shipping board asked congress for authority to place $701,000,000 worth of additional ship contracts. At the same time an immediate appropria? tion of $32,000,000 was asked for the extension of shlpyardft and for pro? viding housing facilities for workmen. Thus far the board ho i bee*n author? ized to spend for shir building Sl, 234,000,000 contracts for most of which have been awarded. Today's request brings the estimates of funds needed for shipbuildi ng to $2,018, 000.0C0. The additional funds are to be put largely into fabricated steel ship contracts. No new shipyards are planned by the board. The fabricating yards have contracts for a ?out 500 ships now which will keep hem constantly employed in 1919, bt.'i. the board is anxious to place more contracts and begin on the tusk of providing mater? ials. I The board's housing plans call for ; tho expenditure of about $35,000,000. I The remainder of the $82,000,000 aak ; ed will be used to expand present j shipyards. j The( senate commerce committee in j vestigating shipbuilding took up to j day alleged high profile allowed in let i ting contracts, woode.i ship construc ; tion and the subject of housing. ] Questioning of Theodore E. Ferris, j chief constructor foi .he emergency j fleet corporation, in ?*onnection with a : report by the corporation's district 1 officer at Seattle, bro ght out that the I Clinchfield Navigatir u Company of j New York, was alleged to have ob Itained profits amour ling to $743,000 I on ship contracts, v ben in fact the (company was not an actual builder of i ships. The company, it was testified, j sold to the governr.ient at a profit of ; |42?,0o? four ships which the Sloan j Shipbuilding Corporation of Seattle j was building for it, and it received ja commission of $323,000 on con? tracts it obtained from the Fleet Cor? poration for 12 shipf which the Sloan ?Corporation is now t illding. Mr. Ferris denied that he has any? thing to do with the contracts, but said he introduced officers of the Clinchfield Company to MaJ. Gen. George W. Goethals, formerly general manager of the fleet corporation. Conditions affectit g the construc? tion of wooden ships were outlined by F. A. Brown, general purchasing of j fleer for the fleet ccrporation and F. i L. Sanford, a mem I er of the South* lern Pine Emergency Bureau. Mr. j Brown explained the fleet corpora ; tion's granting of ar increase in lum ; ber prices and said that it was fully ! justified in view of he fact that tim j ber sizes were made larger. He said ; that the sizes were riade so large that pine producers cou'd not make de j liveries, but that the corporation ex i pected to have delivered from Oregon within 60 days enough flr to finish th heavier timbers for 200 wooden ships. Delays in pine deliveries were at? tributed by Mr. Br> i/n to some ex? tent to the fact tha;: builders, anxious to draw on the flee; corporation's ad ; vance funds, laid down too many keels instead of go g ahead with the : construction of sh already laid down. Their contracts, he said, call I ed for the payment, of money advanc? ed when keels we e laid and many j builders took advar.tfcge of this to get I money quickly. The fleet corpora? tion, he said, finally was forced to put a stop to tho laying of keels. Mr Sanford contradicted the teetl jmony of Rear Admiral Bowles of the fleet corporation, v-'io declared that pine producers had fallen down on deliveries. Production was retarded in the summer he *aid, by the fleet corporation's changes in specifica? tions, but he predated that all the lumber called for in the contracts would be delivered by next July, the time set for final deliveries. i l RUSSIANS Ql IT CONFEItENCK. Wlien Teutons Re irnod to Brost-Li tovsk They Found No Russians. London. Jan. ? ?When the dele? gates of the eenti i! powers arrived at Breet-LitOvSk to resume peace ne? gotiations they found no Russians there, according to a Vienna dls pat< b to Zurich lOrwarded by the Exchange Tclegra; h Company. All that aural ted then was a telegram from the Russians asking for a trans-* for of the negotiations to Stockholm,