New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-14

ments, they smashed the concrete-lined
trenches Of the Germans and they
made one of the most considerable
gains since the western allies settled
down TO trench warfare.
The British attacked for an hour. In
that hour they fired all the high eX-
plosive shells which they could with
safety spare. And then they were
stopped dead, without a yard gained
with a loss of thousands Of English
boys. If report be true, the British,
before they were forced to stop, fired
only about Cne-twentieth Of the num-
Der Of high explosive shells used by
tie French.
Kitchener Held Responsible.
Reppington witnessed this battle.
That night he sent out an account or II.
In the account were two paragraphs
declaring that the British owed their
defeat and their great Lose of life 20
the lack of high explosive shells.
That "story" passed the censor at
headquarters. Further, as investlga-
ton proved, t passed the censor in the
War Office. A day later and the &C
count was in 1.-THE Times" The Briton
is not accustomed to have the news
pointed out to him by big headlines
and subheads He is content to bur
row for it. And out from this sober
article in "The Times" stood those two
paragraphs, proving that British life
had been lost because the army had
not the proper shells. There was a
thrill of horror in London next day,
and the next day after that Northclffe
opened up-not in The Times but in
the more widely circulated Daily
Mail" He threw aside the calmly
academic tone thought proper to Brit
ish editorials. In language which re-
sembed the hammering of an old-time
mining camp editor he attacked Lord
Kitchener as the responsible person
declared that this tragic iasco was due
to Kitchener's laxity in providing
shells, his disregard of advice from the
front. He followed that up on two
successive days with two more edi-
torials of the same tone.
The effect had not the affair been
so serious, so tragically serious
would have been amusing to the Amer
lean observer. All Britain gasped; and
then it seemed as though all Britain
turned, not on Kitchener but on North
cliffe. Within a day the English were
burning copies of 1.-THE Daily Mail" on
the London Stock Exchange, were bar
ring il from the clubs, were stopping
their subscriptions with letters which
should have burned the paper on which
they were writ.,r. By that night there
was Gordon OF police about the office
Of "The Mail" Most Of the other news
papers emplaced their howitzers and
turned them on Northclife-even THE
Morning Post" which had been attack
inc Churchill. Again. it sounded like
old mining camp journalism. They de-
manded that the War Office proceed
against him under the defence Of the
realm act. They all but called him
traitor. The mildest among them de
clared that he was a self-seeking mis-
chief maker.
The Government Shaken.
There was one curious thing, how
ever: while the British denounced him
they mostly believed him. ! was I'll at
the time OF the great excitement, and
in the midst of il a Briton, not CON
nected with politics, but man OF force
and wide information, nevertheless,
came 10 see me. lie was snorting his
indignation. His neighbors had all
stopped THE Mail" II would never
enter his house again.
But the question SIS it true" !
asked in my simple American way.
Probably il is" he said; "but what
a thing 70 say even so.
That underlying belief in the truth
Of this charge, spite Of the public in
dignation against the man who told the
truth. brought the great Cabinet crisis.
Perhaps need here explain to Amerl-
cans that the executive power in Brit
ain is lodged in the Cabinet; the
Prime Minister plus the Cabinet is the
president Of Great Britain. Now, when
The people. as expressed in Parliament,
~ - 6dnncn IN the Cabinet, that