MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

INTER-ALLIED WAR COUNCIL,

MB. ASQUITH'S (QUESTIONS. jBEMiER OUTLINES TITS OBJECTS. CREATION OF CENTRAL-BODY. WITHOUT EXECUTIVE POWER. Received Nov. 15, 7.-4(5 p.m. London, Nov. 14. Tn the House of .Commons Mr. Asqnith »sked:

What function it is proposed that the Hiter-A'lied Council will he in>wsfed with, particularly its military fiaff ? Whether it is proposed that the council should have power to interfere with and override the opinion of the general staff at home or the ccto-mander-in-chief in the field on mattetrs of strategy? Whether the military staff of th» council will have its own intelligence and operations departments? Whether.the ultimate decision regarding the distribution and movement of armies rests with the council or thegovernments represented thereon? Whether the Government would give an opportunity to discuss the proposed arrangements and the Premier's statements at Paris in connection therewith?

Mr. Lloyd George, replying, read the terms of the ; Franco-Italian-British agreement creating the Allies' supreme war council, composed of the Prime Minister and a member of the Government of each' great Power whose armies are fighting on the western front. The extension of: the council's scope to other front* is reserved for discussion with the gre*t Power concerned. The council's mission is to watch the general conduct of the war, to prepare recommendations for the governments' decision, and to keep itself informed of their execution and report thereon to the respective governments. The general staff and military commands of the armies of each Power remain responsible to their respective governments. The general war plans, to be dTawn up by competent military authorities, are to be submitted to the Supreme War Council, which, under the high authority of the govern,ment, ensures their concordance and submits any necessary changes. Each Power, sends.as a delegate to the Supreme War Council one permanent military representative, whose exclusive function is technically to advise the council. The military representatives will receive from their governments and the competent military authorities of their country all proposals, information, and documents relating to the conduct of the wW. Tie military representatives will watch daily the situation of the forces and means of every sort whereof the Allied and enemy armies dispose. The War Council will meet normally It Versailles at least once monthly, but It might'meet at other agreed places ac•ording to circumstances. The permanent military representatives and their staffs have been established at Versailles.

Mr. Lloyd George said that from the foregoing it Would be clear that the Council had no executive power, and the final decisions on matters of strategy and the distribution and movement of the various armies in the field would rest with the Allied governments. There.fore there could he no operations department attached to the Council. The Allies' object bad been to establish a central body who would continuously survey the field of operations as a whole, in the light of information derived from all fronts and from all governments and staffs. Plans would be prepared by the different general staffs and, if necessary, the making of their own proposals for the better conduct of the war. The Government proposed to set aside November 19 for the discussion of the subject, also his Paris speech. NATIONAL SHIP YARDS CONSTRUCTED. London, TTov. 14. Mr. M'Naraara announced in the House of Commons. that three national shipyards weTe being constructed. A, fourth would probably be necessary to ipeet the country's requirements. The waff Cabinet had approved of the scheme. Sir Edward Carson, in opening n soldiers' hostel At Westminster, predicted that the Government would sjhortly announce a further advance in soldiers' pay. The nation would deserve to be doomed if it neglected its fighters. After the war nothing that eould be done was good enough for them. ADVANCE IN SOLDI'ffIRS' PAY. Lon'Jon, Nov. 1-1. me Hoiise of rejected Mr. Hmdenon's amendment to reduce the *iatio»»l wsr nisu-