WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

276 WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
is freedom of the seas.' That does not appear in the amendment.
What does that mean? My Right Honourable friend, the late
Prime Minister, explained the circumstances in which this resolution
was passed. It came as the result of a crisis. Attempts were
made to get something which would settle that crisis, and do not
let this House mistake for a moment that these words, to which
no importance is attached by those who move the amendment,
were one of the features which enabled a large section of the
Reichstag to vote for this resolution. What do the Germans mean
by freedom of the seas? It has only one meaning. It does not
arise in time of peace; it arises in time of war, and this is the
meaning of it, and it can have no other meaning — that in war
a nation with naval power is not to use that power, but a nation
with military power is to be subject to no restrictions."
Mr. Snowden, in the course of his speech, said that Mr.
Asquith had:
". . . endorsed the suggestion that each nation and each
people should be given the right to decide the Sovereignty and the
Government under which they would live. If we accept that, that
settles the question of Alsace-Lorraine."
In the course of the debate, one of the Labour Members
read out a resolution adopted by the Labour Party on the
question of peace terms.
"The invasion of Belgium and France by the Germany Army
threatens the very existence of independent nationalities and
strikes a blow at all faith in treaties. In these circumstances a
victory for German Imperialism would be to defeat and destroy
democracy and liberty in Europe. The Socialists of Great Britain,
France and Russia do not pursue the political and economical
crushing of Germany. They are not at war with the peoples of
Germany, but only with the Governments of those countries that
are oppressed.
"They demand that Belgium shall be liberated and compensated.