New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-23

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: | have been accustomed to read with
much appreciation your leading articles per-
tanning to the war. Trenchant, incisive and
bearing stamp Of sincerity, they must nee
essarily exercise considerable influence, while
brightly Illuminating the general tone oil
YOUR paper. These very facts render 1t OF
first Importance that the pictures presented
TO the mind b. the writer should be most
carefully and precisely drawn. If venture a
criticism I trust you will accept it in the
spirit in which it is offered-as an attempt
70 remove a little tarnish which is always
liable to dull the most brilliant polish.
You say that for years the British Liberal
Ministry resoutely shut its eyes to the COM
ing storm, and "were busily engaged IN de-
ceiving their own people, in abusing men ike
Lord Roberts" etc. Now, the answer to this
is that year after year the matter was dls-
cussed in Parliament, and the vast bulk OF
the EXPERTS agreed that Britain must rely
upon her navy in war with Germany. You
NAV see from the official figures how the
navy was increased. and from the present war
YOU may gather that, if anything, the navy Is
larger than is required, while no German SOL
dior occupies one square foot of British soil.
Lord Roberts advocated only purely deten-
sive force which should not leave the coun-
try. and how far this has been necessary
present conditions clearly Indicate On the
question of a land force, do you mean to sug-
gest that England should have maintained a
standing army of million or two men, as
we'll as the navy? Would not such a proposal
have been secuted all the world over, even by
America? The necessity of it was never even
limited by the most extreme Tory.
/ You sneak of the want of munitions as II
this were the fault of the government,
whereas both France and Russia were III the
same box. for the reason that the kind of war
fare now adopted is entirely new. 1t was
General Joffre who first announced the new
munition scheme, and in few months Eng
land multiplied her output by twenty or more.
| am an Enclishman. | read many papers
and have many letters from home. and your
article was the first intimation ! had that
any one seriously believed in the "lie," as you
put IT, As matter of fact, members of the
government have stated over and over again
that they have done nothing whatever in
Withholding or publishing information relat-
ing 20 the war except on the advice of the
military authorities, of whom fully 90 per
cent are opposed TO the Liberals in politics
/ But YOU go further. II is admitted on all
sides in England that the Liberal government
has carried through more great reforms tend
/ ing TO the improvement of the condition of
the people than any previous government.
Further X is admitted that the Liberal Min
istry was essentially one of brains and great
/ ideas. including at least dozen men of the
/ first order, whereas the Tories during the last
decade have never had more than four leaders
not distinctly Of the second order This is
never disputed even by the Tories themselves,
and IL has been their one mournful COM
plant And yet you call the Liberal min
listers "cheap and tawdry politicians"
Finally, ask you TO look back TO history,
where you will find basis for a very strong
criticism which was recalled 20 my mind by
your own. You will admit that William Pitt
was a great man and that he carried through
extensive reforms. though nothing like the
Extraordinary list passed into law by the As
auth government. Yet this Is what Macau-
lay says OF him:
/ Great as Pitts abilities were, his military
administration was that Of a driveller. lie
was at the head Of a nation engaged in a
struggle for life and death, Of nation emf
nently distinguished by all the physical and
moral qualities which make excellent SOL
diers. The resources at his command were
unlimited. The Parliament was even more
ready TO grant him men and money than he
was 70 ask for them. But the fact is
that. after eight years Of war; after a vast
destruction of life, after an expenditure of
wealth far exceeding the expenditure of the
American War. Of the Seven Year, War, Of