BRITAIN'S CONDUCT OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2786, 2 June 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN'S CONDUCT OF THE WAR

CRITICISM IN PARLIAMENT

MINISTERS IN REPLY

RESPONSIBILITY OP WAR

COMMITTEE

By Tclegrapli—Press Association—Copyright

(Bee. .Tune 1, U. 30 p.m.)

London, May 31. Speaking in tho House of Commons on tho Army Estimates, Mr. H. J. Tennant, Under-Secretary for War, stated that «!very effort was being made to increase the Army's strength in rides by removing younger men from the Army service and ordnance branches, but this could not bo done wholesale. ,Ho added that steps were being taken, to employ German combaltant. prisoners in Britain «t timbercutting, mining, and forestry. Mr. fi. M'Ketnna (Chancellor of tho Exchequer), in reply to a question, stated that the troops in Britain consisted of nick, wounded, men in training, others waiting to depart, and tho necessary number for home dofen.ee. Dr. M'Nmnara (Secretary to tho Admiralty) said thill sjneo October, 191#, tho Germans ha'd captured find taken to German ports 105 neutral ships which ivero laden, for Britain. Motion to Beduce "K,'s" Salary, Sir Ivor Herbert moved to l'fiduce Lord Kitchener's salary by X10I). Our great failure had been the abscnce of a wellconsidered schemo at the beginning of the war. The centralisation of tho War Office was never so severe as it ought to havo been. An early conference of representatives of industry to arrivo jit an understanding, and a full inquiry into the Dardanelles campaign, wore urgently Hooded. Sir A. I>. Markham said that Lord Kitchener had been stripped of every vestige of authority. ''What is the use," ho asked, "of having a War Minister when Mr. Asquith had to go to the front 'to discover that there was a shortage of machine-guns?" Lord Kitchener gave no orders for tho necessary materials until Mr._ Asquith came on the scone. No other belligerent had shielded incompetence. Mr. Tennant had been made the butt for much of Lord Kitchener's stupidity. Sir Georgo Reid said that Lord Kitchener's was almost the only English name which nroused a sympathetic echo in tho Dominions overseas. His most serious fault was that ho was not ail adept at advertising himself, and was also the relentless enemy of the feather-bed soldier and the disloyal subordinate. Colonel Churchill said he believed that half the Army's ration strength was remaining at home, and half abroad—half had been in action and half had not. Thvce-quarters of the fighters we to employed jn the infantry trenches, and these had sustained nearly all tho casualties. He declared that the proportion of tho tTonch fighters coulii easily bo raised, especially by tho transference of young and üble-bodied men from other branches of the service to the trenches. The proportion of riiies to mouths was unduly low. One and a half million men were employed in Britain on lines of communications. The strength of tke fighting units should have been kept up. The stalls in Britain could be reduced by half. Young men ought to supersede retired officers'who had been reinstated. War Minister Defended. Mr. Asquith: "That is being done. Thank heaven we are not likely to bo invaded, but the risk should not be neglected." Tho only troops now kept in Britain ivere the numbers of the Navy and Army forces which were, jointly, considered necessary to an absolute security, The staff officers had beeu. considerably reduced. "Our depleted staff includes some of the best men' in-' : Europe, but it will be unable 'to respond to the new demands of our growing Army. It is tho Government's policy to promote young men with brains, witli fresh ideas, and experience, regardless of red tape etiquette. Ho warmly championed' Lord Kitchener, to whom the Ariuy, 'the country, and tho Empire owed a debt which could not be measured by words. The charge which had been levelled at Lord Kitchener should also bo aimed at the Government." He (Mr. Asquith) accepted his share of the responsibility, because ho had been closely associated with all that Lord Kitchener had done. , Mr. Asquith said ho bolieved that Bn. tain had no larger proportion of nonfighters than the other Powers; but tho Government was"taking'the most effective steps to uao a larger proportion in the fighting line. General Sir W. Robertson and other stuff officers who had visited tho front had made suggestions, the result of which was that the disproportton would bo substantially reduced. Mr. Asquith said he was not going to say that Lord Kitchener had never made a mistake in one of tho most arduous undertakings a human being ever had to face. No other man in the Empire could havo beon summoned in so short a time and gained such satisfactory and bewildering results from s our enormous Army. Surveying the twenty rtwo months of the war, with its unforeseeable events, and hazards of kaleidoscopic, variety, and remembering the size of the Army with which we started, there was no 'fair-mind-ed man who would not;pay his respect and appreciation for Lord Kitchener's services. Mr. Tennant announced that ■ Lord Kitch?ner would confer with any membe* of the House of Commons who desired to see him on war matters every Friday morning, and answer any questions. Sir Ivor Herbert's motion was negatived. ONE CONFERENCE ONLY. (Ecc. .Tune 1, 10.20 p.m.) London, June 1, Lord Kitchener's meeting with members of the House of Commons is for to-mor-row only, not regularly every Friday. WAR, COMMITTEE CRITICISED . DEBATE IN THE LORDS. London, Slay 31. In the House of Lords, Lord Beresford criticised the 'War Committee. The military and political conduct of the war did not aiipear to havo been successful. AVe had suffered badly from quick decisions at critical moments. We must stop "Birrollism" ((broad. Tho Marquis of Crewe said that no large movement' was sanctioned without consultation with the naval or military adviser of 'the Committee, which consisted of Mr. Asquith, Mr. M'Kenna, Mr. Chamberlain, Lord Kitchener, Mr. Balfour, and Mi'. Lloyd George. All urgent war matters came before them. Viscount Midleton complained of .the danger of confidential papers straying while the'members of the Cabinet numbered twonty-thrcc. Tho Marquis of Crewe replied that 09 per cent, of the war matter did not come before Cabinet. Tho War Committee's decision was final. Tho Marquis of Salisbury contended that there ought to bo a single Minister responsible for initiating a policy.