MR. CHURCHILL'S SPEECH.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 61, 11 March 1916, Page 5

MR. CHURCHILL'S SPEECH.

SPECULATION AND COMMENT.

A PUBLIC WARNING

LONDON, March lo In the House of Commons Mr Churchill, in defining yesterday's statement, said hi s feeling of disquietude arose from the doubt whether the battleship-destroyer programme was being worked to the .arranged dates or to 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 out the naval programme with the highest possible speed. He had made the First Lord a present of all the rhetorical retorts desirable from his relations with Sir John Fisher, but the real fact was that if Lord Fisher could be associated in some way with the carrying of Lord Fisher's ■ own programme it would be greatly to the ,public advantage.

Mr. Hcgge protested against the dispute, and blamed Mr. Churchill for returning to the House and starting a hare which had got a good start and would not -easily be caught. Mr. Churchill's friends insist that he came to London not intending to make more than a short speech urg-

ing an aggressive air policy against German hangars. His wife and mother implored him to adopt an out-

spoken attitude.

■ Owing to Mr. Churchill's 'adventurous audacity, everybody is looking for intrigue behind the speech. Comments fall generally into party lines. The 'Manchester Guardian" declares that Mr; Churchill received full information about the new Admiralty work and the condition of Lord Fisher's shipbuilding ' programme, upon which he felt bound to make serious d?sel!osures/ The "guardian" admits that it is absurd to seek petty personal motives. Mr. Churchill docs

desire to leave the army. The speech is a public warning.