Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 81, 11 March 1916, Page 5

Great Britain

THE BRITISH NAVY. MR CHURCHILL DEFENDS HIMSELF. ( fUnitkd Them AejiooiATioN. l London, March b In the House of Commons, Mr Churchill, defining his statement of yesterday, said that his feelings of disquietude arose from doubt as to whether the battleship and destroyer programme was being worked to arranged dates or revised dates. There was no reason to suppose that our margin of strength was insufficient at the present time, but the greatest efforts must be made to carry the navil programme at the highest possible speed. He had made the First Lord a present of all the rhetorical retorts derivable from bis relations with Lord Fisher. Put the real fact was that if Lord Fisher could be associated in some way with the carrying out of his (Lord Fisher’s) own programme, it would be greatly to the, public advantage.

Mr J. M. Hogge protested against the dispute, and blamed Mr Churchill for returning to the House and starting a bare, which bad got a good start and would not easily be caught. Mr ChurcliilPs friends insist that ho came to London not intending to make more than a short speech, urging an aggressive air policy against German hangars. His’ wife and mother implored him to adopt an outspoken attitude. Owing to Mr Churchill’s adventurous audacity, everybody is looking for intrigue behind the speech, PARTY COMMENT. Comments are generally on party lines. The Manchester Guardian declares that Mr Churchill received full information ■- about the' new Admiralty wbi’k and the condition of Lord Fisher’s shipbuilding programme,'' whereupon he felt bound to make serious I disclosures.""This'"Guardian’ ifd- - nuts that it ’is to seek; personal motives. Mr Churchill docs fiot desire to leave the aiwy, and the speech was a public warning against anything of thF jkfnflaand.'wasinofc ut-* tered Ayithout a deep sense-of responsibility; r I RntfJl T 5: ; ' r EMPIRE UNION,

MR HUGHES IN HIGH CIRCLES. PRESENT AT CABINET MEETING. London, March 9. King: George gave an audience to Mr Hughes, and subsequently Mi Hughey attended a Cabinet Mr Asquith introducing him to tin other (Jabmgt, Misters, who were present! at" tlife MibeTalions.' > •• ■< LUNCH EON!,N HIS HONOR. ;) , 6 f Mr Hughes afterwards attended.a Parliamentary luncheon in his honor, when Mr Bonar in a speech, lyeicoming him .to Britain, said that theie had beefi many war- surprises, but the enemy’s greatest surprise was the additional strength the Dominions gave to the Empire. Australasia and Canada were no more loyal to Britain than Britain was loyal to them, and the Dominions had realised that the battle was as much for them as for Britain, involving, as it did, everything they hold dear and everything that goes to make life Worth living. Any Government which did not bring victory was inevitably criticised. The people of Britain had the power in their own hands, but the Dominions were different. They had poured forth their monev and had, sacrificed the lives of the best of their, men, yet they had neither say nor control as to the way in which this money and these lives were spent. t . Their criticism might have been a very different and more dangerous thing considering the existing state of affairs whereby the Dominions give so much and have so little control. This cannot he permanent ; things after the war cannot remain the same. The war has shown that the Empire is one in spirit and action, therefore means should be found to make it one in structure for all time. . Personally, Mr Bonar Law said, he believed that the future would depend on the action of the Dominions. Ihe Mother Country would welcome almost anv scheme of which they approve, and they would probably find it as easy to take a big step as a little one. „,^ TV . MR HUGHES L\ REPLY. Mr Hughes, in replying, reviewed the events of the war. He said the Germans saw prospects of rich loot, and were buoyed up with the hope, not especially of the downfall of Britain but of the commercial ana industrial domination of the earth. Reviewing the hold the Germans had on the trade of the Empire, Mr Hughes said

we had lived in a feel’s paradise. It was futile to bewail this, and it would be criminal not to learn wisdom from it. Regarding the relations of the Dominions and the Mother Country, ho hoped to see a policy evolved that would make the word “Empire” mean something more than it had in the past. If we could establish for ever a Federation of Empire it would ensure the peace of the world. Britain had been expanding her commercial and industrial position at the expense of national safety, imagining that there was no'frelntion between them. Britain’s absolute dependence for her .-sry existence turned upon the possession of raw material and munitions, yet she had bound herself body and goul to the German octopus that was con trolling copper, zinc, and lead. \Ve would be worse than fools if we did not learn a lesson from the manner :n which we had been betrayed. Every-

thing must be subordinate to the destruction of German control of British trade, and by that means to strike a blow at Germany would be more important than a decisive land battle. When the war is decided Germany’s opportunities for world dominion must disappear for ever. Mr F. M. B. Fisher (New Zealand ex-Minister of Marine) proposed the health of the chairman. NO SECRETS. Mr Bonar Law announced that, during Iris visit the Government would withhold no secrets from Mr Hughes This is regarded as indicating that Mr Hughes is invited to share in the highest councils whenever Dominion subjects are discussed.

NON-COMBATANTS KILLED.

TOTAL OF 3053. i (Received 10.20 a.m.) London, March 10. Mr Asquith (Premier) replying to a question, said that during the war, the number of non-combatants killed by bombardment was forty-nine men, thirty-nine women, and thirty-nine Children; by the air raids, 127 mbn, (ninety 7t wo women, fifty-seven children ; the drowned aboard merchantmen and fishing vessels total approximately 2750. THE ARMY ESTIMATES. (Received 10.20 a.m.) London, March 10. The Estimates, for the Home and Colonial army amount to four million, exclusive of the men from- India. ENGLISH BY-ELECTION. i ..it-’ ! (Received 10.20 a.m.) London, March* 10. At the East Herts election. Mr Billing, the aviator, polled 4590, and Henderson (Coalitionist) 3559. The sitting member, Sir J. F. L. Rolleston (Unionist), resigned owing to illhealth.