The Speaker, departing • with good reason from his customary
reserve, addressed a National War Aims meetingat Carlisle last Satur- day. The aim of thisavar, he said with Aristotle, was peace. Events , had fully justified us in going to war in August, 1914. We sought justice and security then, and we had still to attain those supreme objects. We had no evidence to show that the enemy were ready for a peace which would do justice to Belgiom.and the other ravaged countries, or which would give us security for the future. " No annexations and no indemnities " was an ambiguous phrase ; we could never agree to a peace which freed Germany from the obli- gation to repair the damage which she had done. The Speaker described Mr. Wilson's proposal for a League of Nations as a fine idea but Utopian, though he did not say that it was impossible. There could not be " mailed fists " and " shining swords " in a League of Nations.
Previous page
