SIR WILLIAM ROBERTSON RESIGNS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 129, 18 February 1918, Page 5

SIR WILLIAM ROBERTSON RESIGNS

SIR HENRY WILSON THE NEW ARMY CHIEF

ARGUMENTS FOR SUPREME WAR COUNCIL

: ■ ■... By 7Jel6gr&j>h."Preßß Aesooiation-Oopjrieht ~-. ,■. .. (Rec. February 17, 6.5 p.m.) •. V ' -New York, February 16. •••■■' London advices state that Sir William Robertson (Chief of the Imperial General Staff) has resigned, and that Sir Henry Wilson succeeds him. '—Aus'.-N.Z. Cable Assn. : (Rec. February 17, 5.25 p.m.) ■;■■■■" London, February 16. Mr. Lloyd George unexpectedly returned from the country, visited Buckingham Palace, and remained an hour with the King. Rumours of •another crisis culminated in the Press Bureau announcement that Sir Wil'Jiam Robertson had resigned.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. The New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr. Massey) last night received an official cablegram announcing that General Sir William Robertson had rejsigned his position as Chief of Staff, and that Sir Henry Wilson would succeed him. ■ . .

AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION,

(Rec. February 18, 0.25 a.m.) • London, February 16. The Press Bureau states: "The ex tension of the functions of the permanent military representative was decided on at the last meeting of the War Counoil at Versailles, and this necessitated a limitation of the special powers hitherto exeroised by the- Chief of the Imperial General Staff. The Government, therefore, thought it right to offer General Sir William Robertson the ■choice of becoming the British military representative on the War Council at Versailles, or continuing as Chief of the General Staff under the new conditions. Sir William Robertson, for reasons which the Prime Minister will explain in the House of Commons early next week, was unable to accept either position, and the Government regretfully accepted his resignation. "Sir Henry Wilson has accepted the position of Chief of the. Goncral Staff. "The appointment of the British representative at Versailles will be an-nounced'shortly."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

LORD SYDENHAM APPROVES OF VERSAILLES COUNCIL

INSTANT DECISIONS MUST BE FACILITATED.

(Reo. February 17, 5.5 p.m.)

London, February 16. Lord Sydenham (the eminent publicist on strategy) heartily approves of ..the Versailles Council. He says that correspondence is a futile method of co-ordinating the operations in France, which require daily,and hourly personal contact between the Allied Generals and their Staffs.' Domestic rea- .' Bons will force Germany to inake a great attack, which may cover 150 miles of the front, and instant decisions will be essential. Either a generalissimo had to be appointed or the executive power conferred on the .Versailles Council.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.