ARTICLE "AIMS OF THE WAR" IN "THE ECONOMIST"
"The Economist", 27 March 1915. Saturday.
Article: "Aims of the War" (on the occasion of Grey's speech on Monday
(22 March??) at Keighstein Hall)
The editors complain about the war and rejoice that Grey said nothing
capable of "prolonging or embittering the war"...
End of article:
"Statesmen cannot calmly contemplate the bitter end of a world-wide mourning and an almost world-wide bankruptcy. Soon the time will come when it will be possible to take into account the demands of humanity and at the same time secure the aims indicated by Sir Edward Grey (freedom of nationalities, etc.). If such an opportunity is missed, the war will not last forever. It will end in revolutionary chaos, which will begin no one knows where and end no one knows when. Even if the war ended tomorrow, there is hardly a family even in this comparatively prosperous country which would not suffer cruelly for years from the hardships caused by the struggle." (Page 615) (End)
[G 283]

[«JOURNAL DE GENÈVE», 7.IV.1915]
Journal de Genève, 7.IV.1915
Leading article under the title "Trop parler nuit" on the occasion of the book: "Les leçons du Livre Jaune 1914" by Henri Welschinger, member of the Institut, Bloud et Gay, publishers, Paris.
13.VII.1914 (note the date!) in the Senate Mr. Ch. Humbert, "the rapporteur of the army commission", wishing to show the unpreparedness of France, said in a speech that France had almost no heavy artillery, not even 10—13—21 cm. Mortier de 28 cm. — will be... in a year!!
And the next day, 14.VII.1914, the Minister of War, Messimy, declared in the Senate that
at the end of 1915 (!!) France would have
200 guns de 105 long
and at the end of 1917 (!!!) 200 obusiers de 120 court
"Could Germany draw any other conclusion than:
'Marchons sans attendre plus longtemps'?"
[ 285]

[«JOURNAL DE GENÈVE» 7 APRIL 1915]
«Journal de Genève», 7 April 1915
Leading article
under the title:
"Too much talk is harmful", on the occasion of the book: "Lessons of the Yellow Book 1914" by Henri Welschinger, member of the Institut, Bloud et Gay, publishers, Paris.
13.VII.1914 (note the date!) in the Senate Mr. Ch. Humbert, "the rapporteur of the army commission", wishing to show the unpreparedness of France, said in a speech that France had almost no heavy artillery, not even 10—13—21 centimetres. A mortar of 28 cm. will be... in a year!!
And the next day, 14 July 1914, the Minister of War, Messimy, declared in the Senate that
at the end of 1915
(!!)
France would have
200 guns de 105 long
and at the end of 1917 (!!!) 200 howitzers de 120 court
"Could Germany draw any other conclusion than:
'Let us march forward, without waiting any longer'?"
[ 285]

LLOYD GEORGE ON 4 BILLION POUNDS (4/V 1915)
NB
NB
Lloyd George in the House of Commons.
Tuesday, 4.V.1915. (Daily Telegraph, 5.V.)
...What is the income of this country?
The income of this country in times of peace
is £ 2,400,000,000
Now it is probably higher. Why? We are
spending hundreds of millions of borrowed money
here. Most of it is spent in this country. Men
are working time and overtime, their wages are
higher; profits in certain
trades are higher,
certainly considerably higher; & the result is
that the income of this country at the present
moment is probably higher than in times of
peace. Some are probably making huge profits —
(hear, hear) — & others have raised their income
far beyond their ordinary standard.
I have no doubt that it would be perfectly
just when we come to consider, if we can have
to do it, what taxes you have to raise or what
contribution you have to levy in order to enable
you to get through a war lasting two or three
years — it would be perfectly legitimate to resort
to those who have made exceptional incomes out
of the war (cheers)
What are the ordinary
savings of this country in times of peace? The
ordinary savings are about £ 300 to 400 (millions) per annum. The income is higher, &
[f 286]

LLOYD GEORGE ON 4 BILLION POUNDS STERLING
(4 MAY 1915)
Lloyd George in the House of Commons. Tuesday,
4 May 1915. (Daily Telegraph, 5 May.)
...What is the income of this country? The income of this
country in peacetime is 2,400,000,000 pounds
sterling.
Now it is probably higher. Why? We
spend here hundreds of millions of borrowed
money. Most of it is spent in this country.
People work their regular time and overtime,
their wages have risen; incomes in certain
enterprises have become higher, certainly significantly
higher; as a result the income of this country at the present
moment is probably higher than in peacetime.
Some are making, probably, huge
profits — (attention, attention) — and others have
raised their income far beyond their usual
level.
I have no doubt that it would be perfectly
just, if we were to consider, if we could do it, what taxes you must
increase or what
payments you must
reduce so that you would be able
to endure the war for two or
three years — it would be perfectly legitimate to
resort to those who have had exceptional
incomes from the war (laughter)
What are the ordinary
savings of this country in peacetime? Ordinary
savings are about 300—400 (million) pounds per year. Income is higher, and I
[ 287 ]
STERLING
2
9
NB
|
|
NB
|
NB
|
30*
do not think it is too much to say that in every
country in Europe the standard of living is considerably
lower — I am not sure to what extent.
NB
billion
£
But the savings of this country during the
period of the war when the income is higher
ought to be double.
Oh, take the same
(we are an enormously rich country —
certainly the richest in Europe. I am not sure
that we are not the richest
country in the
world, in proportion to population.
We
have
£ 4,000,000,000 invested in foreign & colonial
securities of the best!!.
"...We have got to finance the purchases of most of our Allies"...

LLOYD GEORGE ON 4 BILLION POUNDS STERLING
do not think it is an exaggeration to say that in
every European country the subsistence minimum is
considerably lower — I do not know to what
extent.
NB
But the savings of this country during the
period of the war, when income is higher,
ought to be
doubled.
He, same place
"We are a colossally rich country — without
doubt, the richest in Europe. I do not know
whether we are not the richest country in the world
proportionately to population.
We have
invested
4,000,000,000 pounds in the best foreign
billion
and colonial enterprises"...
pounds
"...We can finance the purchases of most of our allies"...

[Lenin Collection XXVII
NOTEBOOK
pp. 3—18]

Extracts and notes relating to imperialism.
K. Kautsky ("Nationalstaat etc.")
[3] [292]
Lensch
[5] [296]