MR LLOYD GEORGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1923, Page 3

MR LLOYD GEORGE.

VIEWS ON AVAR MEMOIRS. The following ;ind all of Mr Lloyd George articles, are copyright by United Press in America and all countries, copyright in Australasia by the Australian Press Copyright in Britain by the Daily Chronicle. (Reproduction in full or port prohibited).

LONDON, March 14. “Concerning War Memoirs,’’ is the title of Mr Lloyd George’s latest article. In tills lie says: “A storm is working up over the publication, by public servants, of information coming into their possession in the course of their official career. The immediate occasion is Mr Winston Churchill's story of the war. It is rather late in the day to make all this fuss about the publication of war document.-, for Generals. Admirals, and Ministers in all lands, including ours .have in the last three years inundated the European and American public with a Hood of reminiscences, explanations, and criticisms on the attacks and the defence in tbo conduct of operations, either with the Great War or with tho great peace. Warriors on land and sea have displayed unprecedented eagerness to inform the public of their share in the great victory, and of how much more brilliant that share would have been but for the wrong-hendedness or the .stupidity of some collaborator. Statesmen have been engaged in declaiming the responsibility for particular parts of the Versailles Treaty. They have striven hard to prove dial it was attributable to pressure which they were unable to resist from other actors in the drama. In each, highly confidential information was disclosed, -e----cret documents used in Cabinet, and Council proceedings were published without the slightest regard for precedent. A General, an Admiral, or a Minister criticises on the strength o] liaTf-disdoscd minutes .or documents some other public functionary. What is the latter to do. His reputation itit stake. Is he not to he allowed ti correct a misquotation ? Take the cast of a Minister who played an important part in die war or the peace and whose action is subjected to malignant aiul persistent misrepresentation. The Minister knows a full, fair quotation would clear his good name. A mere denial would not carry weight. A full revelation would settle the dispute. Such publication cannot conceivably affect any public interest. Tt would supply no information which would serve an enemy country. He may he defamed by men with access to secret information. Why should the country deny him tho same privilege for his protection? There is such a thing as fair play, even when politicians are attacked. So far as the British are concerned, the writing of books of this type was started, I think, by Lord French, in which he does not hesitate to quote textually secret memoranda. Lord Fisher, in his hook, gives examples of his own intervention at AVnr Council meetings. Sir 'William Robertson, for mnr two years confidential adviser to the Cabinet, in his book, when it suits his argument, gives the public his account of what passed around the table. Of the two authors who collaborated in the writing of Lord Douglas Haig’s command, one was Lord Haig's private secretary. This hook is even less reticent. Tho writers not only summarise some of tho secret proceedings of the Supreme AVnr Council and the AVnr Cabinet, but they give extracts of their decisions. These are freely used ns the basis of animadversion to the Council and the Cabinet of that day. and curiosity is aroused as to the source of the knowledge displayed. Tn additional, there are endless magazine and newspaper articles, most of them clearly supplied with secret information by men who acquired it in an official capacity. What happened in reference to the secret conclaves at the framing of the Peace Treaty affords an illustration ol the way in which These revelations occur. After tho signature of the TreatyPresident Wilson was •strongly of the opinion that the documents ought to be treated purely as private conversations. He objected to the communication of the accounts in the notes of these conversations, in which all had spoken their minds with great freedom, as improper use might afterwards he mode of these documents. Af. Clemenceaii did not think documents could be regarded ns private property. Signor Sonnino thought that they should not he considered as official documents, I also felt hound to enter a caveat that, if attacks were made on political heads, I might be forced to refer to the notes. M. Clemenceau agreed that it might he impossible to refuse extracts from the proves verbaux to prove particular facts, I was the first to safeguard the interest of persons who I felt certain were going to he attacked for their share in the Treaty, fam th ■ last to take advantage of the proviso. \ followed? Both ~1. Clemenceau and Mr Wilson were attacked by political opponents, and, in self-defence, they authorised the publication of secret reports. M. Cleineneeau trusted his dei'enee to M. Tardicu. in the hook “The Truth About the Treaty.’’ The whole hook is based on international proceedings of a secret nature. Al. Poincare, in maligning his rivals, lias not yet refrained from making full use of iulor--111 at ion gained as President of the Republic. According to Signor N'itti. \i Poincare makes somewhat similar disclosures in articles in “Le Revue des Deux Mondes." All these disclosures were partially truncated, and therefore misleading. His impression was created unfair to the other actors in the great drama. That is undoubtedly whatTcompelled Mr Wilson to hand his documents to Air Ray Baker. Hence his hook “Woodrow V llson and the World Settlement.” It is mostly based on the secret minutes of the Supreme War Council. Signor N'itti expressly states that lie did not publish any document not intended for publication. -Nevertheless, he prints a memorandum written by myself for the conference in 1919. entitled “Some Considerations tor ihe Conference Before it Finally Drafts tlie Terms.” f mention those matters, , 10 t by wav of arraignment of the various distinguished men for divulging seers ’which they ought to have kept under lock and key. hut in order to point out that the general rules under which confidential material can he used are not applicable to the circumstances of tho Great War. and the peace that ensued Disclosures made for the criticism and aspersion of individuals Have given the assailed parties a. special position, which, in justice, cannot he overlooked ”