Norwich bulletin., 1914-09-24
Why the French
 Cabinet Resigned
FORCED BY PRESIDENT TO PLA.
 CATE KITCHENER.
AvERTED SERIOUS CRISIS
Trouble Preeipitated by Governor of Lille, Who Failed to Respond With Achievements When British Forces Were Badly Pushed.

New York, Sept. 2s.-The failure of the military governor or Lille to give endorsements to the British forces at a time when they were in danger Of annihilation during the battle of Mons, and the resultant protest of Lord Kitchener, Great Britain's secretary Of war, made to President Poincare, brought about the recent resignation of the French cabinet, according to Dr. Fred $. Mason of New York, who ar rived here today on the Olympic.
 Dr. Mason while in France was al lowed to visit the hospital at Camp Marlborough, Boulogne, sur Mer. by Surgeon General Linden Bell or the British expeditionary force. He also visited various other hospitals pre- pared for the wounded at Boulogne Trouville and Havre. At Boulogne General Bell introduced him to a we'll informed official of rank. The follow ing is report of the facts as the of- ficial is said to have stated them to pr. Mason:
 Disregarded British Appeal.
 "when a force of about 1Oo, ,000 Brit iSh under General French were op- posed by over twice that number of Germans of General Won Kluck's army at Mons, General French saw that he was in a desperate situation. After the first day of fighting. when 1t was seen that the overwhelming force of Germans threatened to surround the entire British expeditionary force, Gen. era1, French made an earnest appeal to General Joffre, commander of the French troops, requesting support on the left wing, where the British were entirely alone. Joffre wired instruc- tions to the governor of Lille to send his garrison of 10000 men to support the British forces. It appears, how ever that the governor put the tele- gram in his pocket for AS hours, in order, he said, to allow the women and children to evacuate Lille, and this nearly brought about defeat of the allies, and was certainly one of the main reasons why they were obliged to retreat toward Paris. The British managed to cut their way out of the German trap by almost super human effort and at tremendous loss. They were in full retreat away from Mons when the endorsements arrived.
 Bitter Complaint by General French.
 Although General French made cas- ual mention of the alleged failure of the French forces to assist him in his official report designed for publication, he sent a complete report and bitter complaint direct to Lord Kitchener, saying that the failure of the French to answer his plea put his whole army in jeopardy.
 Kitchener Was Furious.
 Lord Kitchener was furious. He made a secret trip to Paris and laid his complaint against the dilatory gov ernor of Lille before President Poin- care and the French minister of war. The latter, who was a friend of the general complained against, refused to punish him. President Poincare how ever, to make every concession to Lord Kitchener, forced the resignation of his whole cabinet. This was on Aug. 2S, about week after the battle of Mons. A very serious crisis in the affairs of the allies was thus averted and Lord Kitchener triumphed in his demand. The governor of Lille has been sent to an obscure post of duty.'