New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-16
Commons Cheers as
lie Makes His
Defence.
STRAITS FIGHT
WORTH COST
Secretary for War and
French Planned Ant
werp Expedition.
SEES GERMAN DEFEAT
Britain Must Throw In Reserve
Says Shortage of Men
VIII Beat TeutOns.

London, Nov. 15.--Winston Spen.
Ger Churchill made his defence to-
day.
Speaking before the House Of Conn.,
mons on the eve Of his departure
for the front, the former First Lord
Of the Admiralty answered the crit
icism levelled against him for the
ill-fated Antwerp expedition and for
the failure of the Dardanelles cam
paign.
81 won't have it said," was his
dramatic assertion. referring to the
Dardanelles attack, that this was
civilian plan foisted by a political
amateur upon reluctant officers and
experts"
And this sums up his reply to all
his critics. In every case he showed
that experts had counselled and con-
Cured before any Of the expeditions
which had been condemned were
undertaken, and it was clear, before
re had gone far, that the House Of
crmmons sym,athized with him.
Editors Make Amends.
Mr.. Churchill's unexpected reveIa-
tions, however, had a somewhat dis
maying effect on the editorial writer's
of the London morning papers, who
for months had been assuming that
he was wholly responsible for what
has been termed blunders in carry
ing out the war operations, and who
had been rather lavish in bestowing
adverse criticism on him. They now
are inclined to blame the govern
ment for not making these revela-
tions before, and seem to find diff
Guilty in making amends to Mr..
Churchill.
1.-THE Times" in an editorial,
frankly absolves the retiring Min
ister.
"His speech undoubtedly was a
parliamentary triumph" says "The
Times" "and we think the country,
reading it this morning in calmer
atmosphere, will pronounce it a
statesmanlike utterance, marked by
restraint as well as by force, and
admirably calculated to achieve its
object. Its broad effect is that on
the facts as he stated them he must
be completely absolved."
Gets Great Ovation.
For months Mr.. Churchill has
lived under reproaches. His en-
trance to the House to-day was
passed almost unnoticed. As no
rose, his supporters gave him en-
couraging cheers. Appreciation in
creased in volume as he snswereo
one charge after another, and no
concluded amidst hurricane OF ap"
plause. while members of all politi-
caI narties crossed the House to con-
gratulate him.
The project for sending the relief
force TO Antwerp, Mr.. Churchill de-.
clared, had originated with Field Mar.
shall Kitchener and the French govern.
ment He admitted that the operations
were begun too late, but denied that
the fault was his. Nearly q month be-
fore. he asserted, he had called the at
tention Of the Premier. of Earl Kitch-
ener and Of Sir Edward Grey to the
peril which the loss Of the fortress
would entail.
AS for the campaign in the Dards-
nelles, Mr.. Churchill declared that IL
any operation IN the history of tho
world were worth carrying through
with sustained fury and utter disregard
of life, these operations were worth il.
He maintained that he did not receive
clear guidance from Admiral Fisher
then First Sea Lord, before the expedi-
tion was decided on, nor did he get the
subsequent hrm support TO which No
said he was entitled.
Sees a Better Time.
ave are passing through a bad time,
which probably will be worse before 10
is better, but i, will be better MI.
Churchill said. EFF we endure. the cam.
paien of 1916 should be decided againss
Germany by her shortage Of men.
There was nothing apologize aoous
the speech of the former First LORD O.
the Admiralty. His references 70 v; AZ
miral Lord Fisher. the former Firss
Sea Lord who. he said, had not openly
opposed the Dardanelles undertakines
were spoken In arm tones Of condemns.
ton. In the opinion Of the house, Mr.:
Churchill fully justified every step he
took while head Of the admiralty.
Mr.. Churchill dealt with episode1
during his tenure Of once rs head oN