British General Staff

Levin Daily Chronicle, 5 March 1918, Page 4

British General Staff

| ' NEWSPAPER CRITICISM. CASUALTIES K)P« LAST YEAR. i i T oLONDON, Jan. 20. ■}.'r r.ovat Frowr. writing in the IVilv Mail, continue,, his attacks on the present. leaders of ilw General Staff. Ho daims that, their defence conies : .fro;.! I lie Tory newspnp'. rs representing v, l ;trd lmiititrv* 'interests. Ho adds: ! ' 'The Gem ral Staff admit U0(),000 casui'i; - Vl !ir, mkl bsiviiig failed, wish'in blame tin: Government, charging •; v ;,■' ;; i;:I! £;" 3, iillif >11 J" O £ 3UC3I Ut,c whereas 'their real object is to . . v,■ „|, mi i>y ussming that i.K-v never iiwl enough men." Mr ITa-s-'r'asks: "l! - divi.-i-r' v- :re depleted, v.-liv did the General Staff inaugurate , ':e Ypivs offensive? Has the blame fur , t-■ n Vip--iv inift rlunaU-;-«nii>:' I,v noto-wmw and privates' V <>e<-n WIM <1 1-ui- ehs-'ing a wil!* - t > *,W i'--' sn.uv.ps <■>' ; ■'" 1 l;o i-or.vlu'le.-s b<- ptoadiug vm! . ' : .'h ; . bisias. iiiL'- in 1:1'o Ifoupe of C^mmor:- .■ ■ :' SI frying v. •■■■ >a;-■ i' al- ■, : : r :,' s H},. '1- Wii.'iam J"Jobert.: : on anii H.ir IXui;:!;.'' : ' *- inr.i;f n> v>-r. deelared rliat ...s %K-i\ . r I'.i and oiikvrs liol'l ij! I'. i' Government it J, !'.;; t tlioy have rci;.i,,..,; |tho Governin -ni. •j''i:4i-jgui. J hcd inslan-c-s i'culd b-r mentivii-il. nnd there was in]'* ex-v |>: iea 10 that rule. Thi* I: '- <jr: r-iAons ol' stni!juhl the (f.i!:lU:MtiK'Jis. of an iiulivT.'i.,i;i „jiUvr wt-re J.sojit embarrassing : to !lu Govern:,li i't. v.iili vehom tho roij;!)ility for t'nro matters must re- . ■.-n. ; : nil ~ \ 'i;(/ i'igiio were pos;3cssod of 'i'.e i'-iels, vfliii'h could not bo disclosed i tluv.it injiiring tko liutjli-C iiite.rest. ; anpeale'l to the press on both sides ' i . L - c-i rain from crit'.eista wliie.h was tnJ-..:,, to iml.ltc. servants and detrimental ; ■ ; ;;l , interest. (Loud clteers.) : "j he ;■ xjiapers and ibo public con- ; ;, ue ,H-eu:-.-l tlio pfi.J.lfiu of the BriGsi! hi"-li comiuanii!. -Most <:f the nevs,,;inei':i in;!ke encrgetie protests against uteion uf im. Gi'ivei'Jiment in aiiov. - i.iif the eon 1 inu.Uion of attacks directed against generals, v ho are unable to rep,|V. r |>|,o'"Gio;u! points out that Mr Lloyd George could render the attacks harm- | less by a single word. " Yet," it savS; "he neglects to speak. Mr Lloyd George profited as thq result of press 'vendetta' against Mr Asquith, but these attacks'on the generals may rc-" suit in liis downfall." DRASTIC REMEDY SUGGESTED. Several members of the House of Commons heckled Mr Bonar I.aw for idlo\*ing the attacks on Sir Wilham Jiobertsou and Sir Douglas Haig, and suggests that the newspapers concerned should be suspended. Other members suggested; that some member of tho Government was responsible for the at--aeks. . j Mr Bonar Law said: — bo as i am aware no member of tlie Government is behind thy attacks. After some further discussion Mr Bonar- Law said that the matter \vn>' most unsuitable for public discussion, and that such a discussion was very • embarrassing to tlie Government; Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Villain Robertson possessed the full confidencc of the Government. • * . Mr Kennedy .Tones: If that is true, ' why was Sir Doaglas Haig made subordinate to General Nivtllc, by order of accuracy of the statement. The Times in a leading article says: the War Cabinet in January, li) 17 Mr Bonar Law: I do not admit the "T\,e Prime Minister should adequately t\ulain the Cambrai reverse, and remove what we • believe to ' be a totally false impression that lie is intriguing against Sir Douglas Haig. Great and necessary reforms have been effected, and are still progressing at headquarters. The long education of the now armies is bearing fruit in rlipid promotion. There is no. time to waste in recriminations. The man-power proposals are the minimum compatible with national secnriiy, and'they must be put into practical etfect all possible speed.' - '