Lord Curzon, speaking in the debate on the Address in
the House of Lords, dwelt on the gravity and complexity of the situation in the East. The delay in concluding peace with Turkey had cost us dear, but it was entirely due to our wish to give America an opportunity of playing a part in the settle- ment. " We should have welcomed her as the mandatory of the whole Empire of Turkey." The other Powers would probably " surrender the greater part of their individual ambitions" if America would bear her share of the burden. As it was, we must act in the closest co-operation with France. " We two nations were the natural guardians of the destiny of the Nearand Middle East." We must limit our responsibilities, we must give autonomy to the various peoples, and we must take lc‘ig views: Lord Curzon spoke hopefully of the economic outlook at home, and said that in January the Government paid off fifty millions of Debt out of surplus revenue, and reduced the currency. note issue by twenty-six milliens.
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