START OF THE WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1928, Page 4

START OF THE WAR

A DRAMATIC REVELATION

BY LATE LORD AIORLEY

('United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

LONDON, Oct. 18. The late Lord Morley, in the “Memorandum of My Resignation,” which is published by Mae Williams, makes a dramatic revelation of the attitude of prominent Liberals on the eve of the world war. He explains therein why he and the Rt. Hon. John Burns resigned from the Cabinet. He states that when British intervention was certain, Sir Edward Grey (Foreign Secretary) warned the Cabinet that the general European question was involved and that England could not afford to efface herself, as sooner or later, she would be dragged into the war, the Cabinet began to take sides. “Lulu” Harcourt organ-, ised the opinion in favour of British neutrality, “which,” Lord Morley says, “was met by a counter move, openly worked with the best demoniac energy of Winston Churchill, the strenuous simplicity of Grey and the “sourdement” of Lord Chancellor Haldane.' Air Asquith was /‘seeing and waiting.” It was calculated that eight or nine men in the Cabinet were likely to agree with the No-War group.” “On one of those days,” adds Lord Morley, “I tapped Winston on the shoulder as he sat next to me, and j said: ‘Winston; we have Ibeaten ycm after all!’ He smiled cheerfully—as well he might!”

Air Lloyd George it is recorded, furnished the Cabinet with the information that the bankers and the City industrial leaders were aghast at the idea of war, they saying that it would cause credit to collapse. Lord Morley continues: “When I pressed this important prospect, later in the debate, however, Mr Lloyd George then said, rather tartly, that he had never said that he believed it.”.

Walking from the Cabinet, John Burns pressed Lord Alorley’s arm and said, with vehement emphasis: “Now, mind—we look to you to stand firm! Then John Burns, ih the Cabinet on the Saturday evening, himself took the lead to good purpose and intimated, in downright tones, that Britain’s warning to Germany, not to try it on against the French coasts or ships in the Channel, was more than’ he could stand, not only because it practically was a declaration of war on the sea, leading inevitably to war on the land; but, mainly, becapse it was the symbol of an alliance with France, with whom there had been no such understanding in the past.” Lord Alorlev writes: “Mr Lloyd George’s motives were a riddle. He knew that his stock was dangerously low, and that peace might be a popular card against Winston’s adventurous energy; and a break-up of the Government Party might well make any man peause. The truth was that the Liberal Party already yvas shattered, and Lloyd George was on the eve of the mistake of his life. Let him and others do what thev would for me, there was no choice!” When he (Lord Morley) said that he must go with John Burns, Air Asquith asked him to sleep on it. Lord ATorley answered: “Of course I will!” He adds; “I left him (Asquith) trying to deal with John Burns, ih

vain.” ~ The next day Mr Lloyd George told Lord Morley that news of Germany bullying Belgium had changed his view and Mr Runc-iman’s view. Then came the final Cabinet. Lord Morley says that he looked with paternal benigity on Winston, but reiterated that he must go. “Sir John Simon,” lie says, “spoke briefly, with much emotion, quivering lips, and tears in his eyes. He was even firmer than lor Beauchamp.” Sir John Simon backed Lord Morley, but Mr Lloyd George earnestly expostulated, Mr Asquitli, also saying, with . more emphasis, that nothing could induce him to separate from Grey. That evening John Burns came to Lord Morley and cried: “Have you heard the news? Asquith’s got over Simon and Beauchamp, so you and I are the on y two.” *