New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-07
KITCHENER TELLS
OF WARS PROGRESS
War Secretary FOreStallS
Party Catechizing by
Lord CurZOn.
PRAISE FOR FRENCH
AND SERVIAN ARMIES
Advance of Turks on Egypt rails
10 Observation-Disclosures
ing Encouraging.

fBy Cable 20 Tie Thbunel
London. Jan. 6.-The reopenlng OF
the House Of Lords to-day was marked
by a virtual passage at arms between
Earl Kitchener and Earl Curzon. Ow-
ING TO Lord Lansdowne's illness Lord
Curzon is temporarily leading the Op-
position in the House of Lords, ana
Lord Curzon had fixed the meeting a
month ahead of that Of the House OF
Commons to show the country the SUI
periOr devotion of the Peers to the pup
lie veal.
In the Lords, the Conservatives, hay-
ing permanent majority, still preserve
complete control over the business OF
the House, even when a Liberal ministry
is in power. Lord Curzon and his friends
had tabled q number Of important ques-
tions for the Ministers dealing with
the war, and the scheme was that LORD
Curzon should lead Off with general
speech and that Lord Kitchener snould
follow later with a reply.
But tx. of H." was not a tacuclan
for nothing and. probably not desiring
10 be catechised BY Lord Curzon, he
took the offensive without a moment
delay. Advancing to the table. he began
his statement. while Lord Curzon was
still lingering his collar, expanding his
chest and going through other orator.
cal preliminaries. Lord Kitchener
fanking movement shattered Lord Cur
IONS plan Of campaign at the start and
compelled him to take up new posi-
ton, not at all so commanding as mat
which he had planned.
More than the suggestion Of smile
hickered on the faces of the Peers at
Lord Kitchener's successful manpuVre'
especially as they recalled the per
sonal antagOnism of the two men since
they were in India together and Loru
Curzon was endorsed from the wee
royalty when he attempted TO interfere
with Lord Kitchener's military plans.
His audience consisted not only OF
an unusually large gathering Of peers,
but of a still larger array Of peeresses.
/ The latter focked in the first instance
/ into the gallery facing the Field Mar
shall, where they could feast their eyes
upon the elusive hero of the hour, and
il was not until this gallery was
crammed to its last inch that they de-
ployed over to the other gallery, where
they could only see his poll. They
were al more or less in vesture or
sober hue. and the scene was dis
tinctly solemn.
Statement Called Brief.
Lord Curzon was as critical as he
dared be in dealing with Lord Kitchen
er's statement lie complained of its
brevity and lack of detail remarking
notably that "the noble and gallant earl
has told US that recruiting is normal.
What we should like to hear is that 1t
is abnormal" and he turned around to
his side with the air Of a man who eX-
pected applause for something aston
ishingly clever. But the nobility of
England remained unmoved. He spoke
for an hour, putting several questions
to the government.
He spoke in the most proliX terms,
contriving to bore all the interest out
of his own special meeting of the
House of Lords, and Lord Crewe, the
leader of the government in the Lords,
who followed the eX-Niceroy, was quite
inaudible to any one but the stenog-
rapher sitting beneath him.
The Secretary of State for War said
early in his speech:
During the month Of December the
allied forces made progress at various
points, but the tide of battle ebbed
and flowed with varying success.
the French army made noteworthy
progress to the east Of Rheims and in
Southern Alsace.
Notwithstanding the transfer of
German troops to the eastern theatre
of the war, they left sufficient strength
TO hold their trenches in the west.
German aspirations in Poland have
suffered a severe check, and it is ev!-
dent that they realize the infinite diff
Guilty of winter operations in Russia.
+ Lord Kitchener said that notwith-
standing the severe attacks of the
Germans along the Bzura and Rawka
rivers the Russians for more than a
fortnight had frustrated their efforts
10 advance any nearer to Warsaw. lie
said that the Germans had been great
" hampered by faulty communications
and that their casualties had been
heavy.
Last Light we received news" Lord
Kitchener declared, "of a Russian vic
tory in the Caucasus which should
have a far reaching influence on all
the Turkish operations.
Praise for General Botha.
"The much talked Of advance Of
Turkish forces against Egypt up to The
present has failed to materialize,"
! Lord Kitchener continued. "The stu
alton in South Africa has undergone a
most welcome change, General Botha
| having handled the military situation
| in a mastery manner and stamped out
/ the rebellion. The result has given
us great confidence in the future sue
cess Of any operations he may under
/ take"
The householders' canvass thus far
| has resulted in the registration OF
218,000 men who are willing to serve,
/ if called upon, said the War Secre-
tary. He confined:
"The great advantages which Ger
many enjoyed by reason of her superb
ority Of numbers and extensive war
/ preparations have certainly diminished,
/ while the Allies daily are increasing
their resources in such way as 10
| enable them to prosecute the war 10
I a triumphant end The anticipated
decrease in the number or recruits
during Christmas week has given place
/ TO an increase which has almost re
stored the weekly returns to their for
mer satisfactory level. | am glad to
saw that we have filled up the officers
cadres Of the expeditionary force, and
/ that there is considerable surplus
| Of training officers TO draw from.
Since the war began 29,l00 officers
have been appointed TO the army. Sir
John French's forces have been in
creased by territorial units and new
i division, attached TO which is fine
/ Canadian regiment.