MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1919, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

ASQUITH'S 1915 STATEMENT. j UNSCRUPULOUSLY iRAVESTIED.. London, May IT. Mr. Asquith. at Newcastle, replied to the criticism of his speech at Newcastle in April, 1915, in which he denied that the army's operations in i'rance were crippled by the Government's failure to provide the necessary munitions, and had thus lulled the ccAintry into a false sense of security. He declared that his statement had been unscrupulously and shamelessly travestied for several years for political purposes, but he had refrained from replying to the misrepresentations during the war. Mr. Asquith proceeded to outline the successful efforts of his Government in securing an increase of munitions in 1314-15, the need of which was acutely realised- He came to Newcastle in April, 1915, for the purpose of urging Tyneside and other workers to increase their output. His statement denying the lack of munitions was made after consulting Lord Kitchener, who had been personally consulting Lord French. Mr. Asquith asked where else sould he have applied for authentic information than to Lord Kitchener. He added that the statement was carefully limited to the past. He had not attempted to conceal the Government's anxiety as to the future, but he emphasised that all the military authorities were agreed [ that a large and rapid increase of munitions was indispensable.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.