The Central Powers, Mr. Lloyd George continued, had evaded President
Wilson's request of a year ago that they should state their positive war aims, though the Allies, in reply to the President, made a full declaration of policy. Count Czernin, at Brest-Litovsk on Christmas Day, had at last spoken on the subject, in deplorably vague terms. Count Czernin's assertion that the enemy would not " appropriate forcibly " any occupied territories, or " rob of its independence " any nation that had lost its " political independence," might cloak any scheme of conquest and annexation in Belgium, Serbia, or Rumania. The Austrian Minister refused reparation to Belgium, and declined to consider the autonomy of subject nation- alities. Germany must, he said, regain her colonies, whether the natives liked it or not. Count Czernin's phrases offered no founda- tion for a permanent peace. " The days of the Treaty of Vienna are long past" Government with the consent of the governed must be tho basis of any territorial settlement, and treaties must be held sacred.
