Mr. Asquith, who replied to the toast of His Majesty's
Ministers, said that the Government were supposed by some people to be morbidly sensitive to criticism and anxious to prevent criticism. He disavowed any such feelings. As regards the suppression of a certain newspaper, the action taken had not been due to a wish to stop criticism, The object was to prevent great mischief being done to the country's cause. As for the criticisms of British diplomacy, he asserted that when the time for disclosures came the states- men and generals of the Allied Powers would have no reason to shrink from the verdict. The Allies would stand or fall together. All the stories of peace proposals were "nothing but idle and worthless chatter." The conditions of peace had been stated long ago, and remained the same. We agree. Let us treat German probings and gropings as the Emperor of Russia treated Napoleon's offer of comparatively attractive terms. He never even acknowledged them. The concern and misgivings which then began to haunt Napoleon will soon be torturing the German Emperor.
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