Secrecy and a complete autocratic
control of the people are the watchwords of the allied Governments, and
therefore they must be the watchwords of our Government.
This is very convenient for British autocrats, but the argument is not
convincing. The surrender of ideals ought not to be so one-sided. We do
not dream of suggesting to the Russian and the French Governments how
they ought to conduct themselves toward their peoples; and similarly we
should not allow them to influence the relations between our Government
and ourselves.
The basis of peace negotiations must necessarily be settled in advance
by representatives of all the allied Governments in conclave. The
mandate of each Government in regard to the conclave is the affair of
that Government, and it is the affair of no other Government. The
mandate of our Government is, therefore, the affair of our Government,
and the allied Governments are just as much entitled to criticise or
object to it as we, for example, are entitled to suggest to the Czar how
he ought to behave in Finland. Our Government, being a democratic
Government, has no right to go into conclave without a mandate from the
people who elected it.
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