The Prime Minister, in his reply, began by chaffing Mr.
Clynes for his unwillingness to face the electors. The Government were committed to the reform of the House of Lords, like Mr. Asquith and Lord Crewe. The Washington Conference was one of the greatest achievements for peace ever recorded, though Clynes seemed to scoff at it. The Government's policy towards France was one of friendship and co-operation in the interests of peace. Germany would benefit by a Franco-British pact, which would give France the feeling that she was not isolated, and would thus make her confident and calm. More- over, Germany would see that a policy of revenge was imprac- ticable. As we had originally given France a treaty of guarantee, as an alternative to the annexation of the western Rhine provinces, we were in honour bound to fulfil that treaty.
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