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[Page] 35
[continued from page 34]

terrain, there has been little movement, but a
steady pounding of the German trenches.
In Rumania things have gone badly for the
entente, and the Rumanian army has been
forced backwards till Bukarest & Buzen,
to the North of it are in German hands. Greece
or its King & his military camarilla have
acted treacherously, and fired on the allied
troops at Athens, thereafter massacring many
Venezelist supporters. All this has had a
depressing effect. Suddenly in the Reichsdag
the German Chancellor announced that
Germany being in position of a victor was
prepared to consider terms of peace in a
magnanimous spirit! Nothing has so cheered
the allies for some time, for a while it is clear
to all that Germany has not the slightest hope
of such terms as she can offer being accepted,
it is realised that only a serious economic
condition could have compelled her to take
a step which for a brief period must fill her
half starved people with joyous prospects
only to be driven to lower depths of despair
on realising that the Allies will consider
no peace which does not entail the complete
overthrow of militarism in Germany & the

assurance of peaceful life, unmenaced by the
rattling of the German sabre for the future.
We have just effected a change of Government
Asquith with his "wait-and-see " methods having
given place to Lloyd George, who has shown won:
:drous energy & high principle throughout the war.
The spirit of the country is magnificent, and
everyone seems ready to make what sacrifices
he may be called upon to make with a good
grace. As the public were enjoined
to restrict travelling to necessary journeys from
now onwards, we have given up the idea of going
to Priorwood for Christmas so shall spend the
festival at home in a quiet way. Tomorrow
in Clubs, restaurants etc. a three course dinner
will be the rule and shortly we shall all be
compelled to have one meatless day in the week.
It will not be a hardship as already we are
practising it, except at breakfast, & for many
months we have greatly restricted our consumption
of meat. Yesterday we attended a lecture
by an American named Curtin who recently
passed 300 days in Germany. He gave us a
vivid picture of the condition of the Germans
under the strangle hold of our fleet. Milk
can only be obtained in a German household
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