MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

CONDUCT OF THE WAR. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. MR. CHURCHILL'S CRITICISMS. A GRAVE AND COMPLEX PROBLEM. QUESTION OF INDIA'S HELP. Received March 6, 6.10 p.m. London, March 5. In the House of Commons, Mr. H. Page Croft, M.P. for Christchureli, urged the War Office to look ahead. It would, he said, be a tragedy if the offensive failed owing to lack of men. Mr. W. M. Pringle, M.P. for Lanark, moved the reduction of the array estimates by £IOOO, and urged the War Office to make the best possible use of the existing figures. He described the Salonika expedition as wasteful, and involving an unwarranted all on shipping Mr. Winston Churchill said that the Salonika expedition was closely associated with the tonnage and man-power problems. We might have provided an army early in the war capable of bringing about decisive results in the Balkans, but when Bulgaria entered the war, Germany obtained a route to Constantinople, because it was impossible for us to carry thither an army of sufficient size. It should have been recognised that the hour for successful intervention in the Balkans had passed. When the history of the expedition was told, it would be found that it was full of unsuspected tangles and complications; but it must be remembered that the expedition is still there, and involving on of honor, apart fronTany military consideration. We need an increasing army in the Balkans, simul-' taneously with our tonnage steadily decreasing, and the problem was one of the greatest complexity and gravity. I lie Entente must consider the claims of M. Venizelos, which an honorabltGovernment could not bni'h aside. Mr. Churchill advocated secret sessions, thus enabling frank discussions on such matters as India's assistance, coupled with the question as to what extent India was yet able to supplement our man-power. These were important matters. Tim policy of the India Office had the effect of largely shielding India from the sorrows of "the war, and India's enormous manhwd was as yet practically untouched.

x MR CHURCHILL'S ADVICE. ?e?oivod March C, 10.5 p.m. London, March f>. Continuing, Mr Churchill said that if #ie Secretary for India had a Year ago endeavoured to raise half the "divisions which be (Mr Churchill) then advocated, he would have released probably 90,000 British in Egypt and Salonika for the West front and Mesopotamia. He complained that inadequate use had been made of the African man. power, and pointed out that although great masses of British cavalry had been maintained m France, only one squadron had found an opportunity for tactical use in 1910. Mr Churchill expressed the hope that the Government would not commit its armies to a vast policy of attrition un-less-jt was absolutely certain thev could pursue that policy to an effective conclusion It would be foolish not to prepare for a 191-S campaign, and unless it were possible to strike a decisive final blow it would be better to patiently develop our superior resources. Until that was possible, we had no right to count on events turning immediately in our favor. We ought xo use the whole of the world's man-power, of every race and clime, for the fighting bohind and in our lines. We must" use the highest forms of machinery. It would be fatal tc withdraw the skilled men from the factories for the trenches. We could make a certainty of the 1918 campaign, and there was still time for that.

A QUESTION OF HIGH POLICY. Mr J. L. Mcpherson, Under-Secretary of the War Office, in the course of his reply, said the Salonika expedition involved high policy, so he could not reply to the questions which should not have been raised except at a secret session if the Government were pressed to disclose its high policy. Mr McPherson added that he hoped there would be a large increase ot men from all parts of the Empire. MR BONAR LAW'S REPLY. Mr Bonar Law said it was impossible to disclose the Government's intentions as to Salonika, or to discuss the merits of the expedition. The Government's policy was not a question of brains alone, for it was necessary to act in concert with our Allies. If the expedition were abandoned, Greece would be thrown open, and the whole of the Balkans would pass into the enemy's hands, and our Balkan supports would be placed at the mercy of their enemies. We know how they would be treated. He was unwilling to consent to a secret session unless there was a strong demand therefor. The Government could not frankly discuss the Salonika question, even at a secret session. He recognised himself the disadvantages of the expedition, and the Government was fully aware of all the circumstances. He was sorry he could not say more, but there had been difficulties because those Allies who were particularly interested in Greece and the Balkans had not always taken the same view of our polio f, but now there was 5. common policy, the main object of which was to ensure that we should not run the former risk of being attacked from behind in the event of a German advance. He thought that was a great step. (Cheers). No threats were used to induce Roumania. to enter. Mr Bonar Law did not think that because Rouniania's entry had proved so disastrous and resulted in Roumanian suffering, which the Entente would have done anything to prevent, that there was any reason to condemn tla Entente.

NATIONAL SERVICE. London, March 5. Mr. Neville Chamberlain, speaking at Whitefield's Tabernacle, said he had •little doubt that voluntary enlistment would provide sufficient men. The workers already enrolled numbered 100,000, and they were determined- (o set 800X08.

DECREASED MEAT CONSUMPTION. London, March 5. Smithfield returns show a decrease of 25.0 per cent, in the meat sales for February as compared with January. It is estimated that*this is equivalent to three-quarters of a pound per head weekly. A SPY'S SENTENCE. Loudon, March 5The Press Bureau says that a prisoner has been court-inarlialled in London and sentenced to death for espionage. Tlio finding was confirmed, but the verdict was commuted to penal servitude foi life. DEALING WITH FOOD PROBLEM. London, March 5. The Daily Telegraph says that Lord Devonport will probably take important and far-reaching steps this week regarding food supplies and prices, and to .meet the case of traders who request ibigher prices in view of the restriction of imports. Lord Devonport decided, in the event of the official scheduling of prices, to take the prices prior to Mr. Lloyd George's speech as a standard unless there was good reason to the contrary. It is fully expected that the fiving of retail prices will further hit small -•ibiirban shops, which already find it difficult to get supplies. DOMINIONS AT WAR COUNCIL. I Received March 0, 10.50 p.r.i London. March fi. The Canadian ar.d New Zealand delegates will attend a meeting of the War Cabinet to-morrow. THE BALKANS. Claims for Damages Athens, March S. The French Minister discussed with M. Lambros the payment of damages arising out of the events of December 1. M. Lambros preferred counter-claims for damages allegedly due to the Allied occupation of certain points of the city. MONASTIR SUFFERS. London, March R. | Reuters' correspondent says that the Serbians' headquarters and* Bulgarians' trenches at Monastir arc snowed up. It is officially estimated that the enemy has dropped 2627 shells and bombs on Monastir in three months. Forty-three houses have been destroyed and 30& damaged, andV36 men, 45 women and children killed, and 37 men, 75 women and children injured. GREECE DRIFTING TO STARVATION Rome, March 5. | _ The Tribuna says that the economic situation of Greece is drifting to starvation. The Entente is still dissatisfied with the political position. Violent hostile articles appear in the newspapers and the League of Reservists exists clandestinely.

RUSSIA, THE ALLIED CONFERENCE. FIDELITY TO COMMON CAUSE. Petrograd, March S. An inspind statement- has been published that the Allied Conference has afforded fresh proof of the increasing solidarity of the Allies and of their unswerving fidelity to the common cause and that the conference has decided on measures for the better distribution of the common resources. CZAR'S MESSAGE TO HIS ARMIES. Received March 6, 5.5 p.m. Petrograd, March 5. The Czar has sent a message to his armies on the south-western front, stating his profound satisfaction at their steadiness and excellent condition, adding that, when the time comes, he is confident they will make a supreme effort to definitely defeat their adversaries.