A CRISIS AVERTED

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 199, 11 May 1918, Page 6

A CRISIS AVERTED

It is a matter for unqualified satisfaction that the danger of a political crisis in England as a result of General Maurice's attack upon the two leading members of the War Cabinet has been "averted. It is even more satisfactory that | those who were at first most inclined j to support the late Director of Military Operations in his extraordinary accusations against Mb. Lloyd George and Hit. Bonau Law now seem chiefly anxious" to demonstrate that they had no such intention. Tlie speech in which Mr; Asquith sought to defend his motion for inquiry by a Select Committee of the House of Commons will not enhance his reputation for logical consistency. In spite of his elaborate explanation, it is impossible to reconcile his admirable statement.of the necessity of loyally, supporting the Government with his submission of a motion which the Government quite naturally regarded as challenging its existence. _ No doubt the general impression will be that Mr. Asqvith on second thoughts retreated from his initial attitude. It followed naturally, that the Liberal War Committee as well as the corresponding committee of the Unionist' Party decided to support the Government. General Maurice's Press supporters have changed front still more ignominiously. than Mr. Asquith. The Daily Chronicle, for instance,, published General Maurice's letter and declared that its gravity could not be over-estimated. It now.admits that there is not a shadow of doubt that Mr. Lloyd George's statement on April 9 was absolutely correct. "The British Army this year," it adds, "'was more powerful than at the beginning of 1917." This is an'admission in set terms'- that the : only clearly-defined charges made by Geseral_ Maurice were baseless. The suggestion of the Daily Chronicle that the issue- between Mr. . Lloyd George- and General Maurice may have arisen through the latter thinking only of. i' bayonet'strength' while the former [ included the' artillery and the Flying. Corps is astonishing even if it is i.regarded as only a bit of camoujliti/c 1 utilised, in covering a retreat. Any schoolboy knows that this war is a war of-.machinery, and that as time goes on an ever-increasing proportion of'the effective strength of all the armies in the field is employed in operating one form or another of mechanical equipment. To suggest that a'highly-placed Staff officer might give as the total strength of a modem army.its bayonet strength alone is wildly fantastic,

■ As a whole the facts recorded today seem to amply warrant the decisive vindication of the Government implied in the vote of tho House of Comiribns. on Mr. Asquith's motion. Parliament and the country have been saved from plunging . into futile and weakening controversy at a time when tho fate of our own nation and that of the civilised world is trembling in the balance. It should not have been possible for such a danger to arise, but it is as well to recognise that the only safeguard against its recurrence lies in a clear perception that when a nation is fighting for its life in loyal co-operation with other nations, even those who in tho ordinary way would be entitled to assert their personal opinions must be prepared to carry self-abnegation to its limits. A French newspaper, in an article quoted to-day, asserts that the supporters of Sir William Kobeutson refuse to forgive Mil. Lloyd George for creating unity of command, and are seeking by every means to overthrow him. There is some reason to fear that this touches the heart of the matter. General Maurice's .outburst now appears in itself comparatively trivial, but it

is much more formidable as an indication that'an influential group of British military officers is still disinclined to accept the decision cast for the unification of Allied effort, —still less for safeguarding as a vital good purpose if it assists to convince the members of this group that their efforts to reverse the wheels of progress arc vain. There is no'.room in such a war as this for the assertion of insular prejudice, or even of national interest—if that be taken to imply isolation in aim and effortstill -less for safeguarding as a vital thing the individual solf-import-ancc of this or that general Tho ease for unity is simply that it.will enable the Allies to make their resources and efforts tell with.maximum effect. No case has been made out against unity except on such narrow grounds as have been suggested. The' Maurice fiasco is above all welcome as tending to strengthen a conviction that those who oppose the fullest measure of- loyal cooperation with our Allies are a reduced and declining force,