LORD CURZON SPEAKS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2765, 8 May 1916, Page 5

LORD CURZON SPEAKS

IN DEFENCE OP THE MINISTRY By Telegraph-Press (Rec. May 6, 9.55 p.m.) ■'■'■"'.'■•■ Lontiony May 5. . ; Lord Curzon, in addressing the Primrose League, said he wished to dispel the illusion that the' Government spent" its time in modifying or rejecting the War Committee's decision.: The latter;-.. had" absolutely a free 'hand :• in ninetynine cases out of a hundred; its decision; was not even debated.:.,,,;; ■■- ■--; ; ;.,-.„ Another illusion was tliat'the Government ignored- or over-ruled -tfiff. advice of its military and naval advkart. The Government fully; ths. strategy and conduct- of tne 3amj»^Sjn ; must he left to the Chief of theStaff. _ ", '■ The third illusion was. tha-uwe Government considered themselves indis- ; pensa-ble.- Neither collectively'.:nor': individually, were they guilty of. that mistake. They- were all' ready- to- retire 'if "• Parliament's confidence was withdrawn.*

Tho last and 'greatest'.- contribution 1 , that Britain is making is not merelyof men in the field, of munitions, or ships sailing the seas, but hi- the unimpaired solidarity and stubborn tenacity of tha nation as a-whole that inspired the Allied Conference and struck terror into.':. the enemy. The rebellion in Ireland was one of the enemy's iriany attempts • to diminish' the military strength of England. The revolt, he said, was squalid, and retribution'would be'swift and stem. .._.'•' : He would not say that the Government was the only one capable of retain'y ing tho unity of the nation, but it re-' presented all parties in the State, and ; therefore was more likely to retain unity than any other Ministry that could be formed for the time being,. Whether the war'is long'or short, -the Government and country, would go on to'the end. He had heard many things discussed in Cabinet, "but never peace*! That word would bo expunged from our"!', vocabulary until victory was won. (Ap-_ plause.)