Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1940. AN EXPLANATION AWAITED.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 January 1940, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1940. AN EXPLANATION AWAITED.

MUCH as thev have surprised the public in Britain and in other parts of the Empire, as well as in foreign countries, the changes in the British Cabinet reported on Saturday a PP ear to contain no element of mystery, unless in r^' ard ' The. resignation of the Secretary of State for War, Mi. Hoi Belisha, bn which attention centres, is attributed plausibly to friction between that Minister and the British High L omnia nd. References by Mr. Chamberlain and others to Mr. hoi. - Belisha’s resignation, though they convey no specific tion are uniformly consistent with the view that a conflict ot authority arose between the War Minister and the generals promoted to the highest rank under his own scheme of Army reorganisation. This aspect- of the situation has been commented on fairly as ironic. The whole position plainly must be cleared up delay but meant ime it is reasonable to suppose t hat the n i is i Prime Minister found himself confronted by a. situation m which the efficient conduct of the war was liable to be affected bv a conflict of authority and that he adopted what appeared to him to be the best method of ensuring that the machinery ot war control should operate smoothly. With such issues raised, consideration for an individual or individuals obviously can count for nothing. It remains, however, for Mr. Chamberlain to justify the course of action he has taken. Today s news shows that there is an emphatic and widespread demand m Britain for the fullest possible explanation of what has been done. Meantime there is a universal affirmation of the splendid work done by the retiring Minister in his reorganisation of the British Army in preparation for the present emergency. There is no question of Mr. Hore-Belisha being regarded as a spent force. Tribute to his qualities and to the work he has done is being paid not only in Britain, but in France, wheie the comment is made by u Le Journal” that: Collaboration uith this intelligent, energetic man has always been easy.” It is difficult, at present, to envisage circumstances which can have justified Mr. Hore-Belisha’s displacement from office and it is evidently very necessary that the British Government should lose no time in giving the explanation which is now being demanded so vigorously.