El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-03-08
BLUNDERS Of
BRITISH Barred
Censure Is Given Those Re-
sponsible for the British
Mistakes
Continued From Fare -

serious risk Of loss of prestige AT
that moment as time was all i'm
portant. no compromise was possible
I between making an immediate and wig
orOus effort to ensure success at the
Dardanelles by joint naval and military
occupation and falling back on the
original intention Of desisting from a
naval attack il the experiences gained
during the ombardment were unsat.
isfactOry-
Delay In Moving Troops.
"On February 20, lord Kitchener de-
cided that the 18th division. part of the
troops which by the decision of Feb
ruary Is. were to be sent TO the east
should not be sent at that time and
Col. Fitzgerald instructed the director
OF naval transport that transports for
that division and the rest of the expe-
dictionary force would not be required
This was done without informing the
1irst lord and the despatch Of troops
vas thus delayed three weeks. This
delay greatly compromised the prob
ability OF success Of the original at
tack by land forces and materially
increased the difficulties encountered
in the final attack months later.
War Council Didn't Meet.
We consider that in view OF the
opinions expressed by the naval and
military authorities on the SPOT the
decision TO abandon the naval attack
after the bombardment of March IS.
was Inevitable There was no meeting
of the war council between March is
and May Il Meanwhile important
land operations were undertaken.
We think that before such opera
uone were commenced the war council
should have carefully reconsidered the
whole position In our opinion the
prime minister ought 10 have sum-
moned a meeting OF the war council
ior that purpose and il not summoned.
other members of the war council
should have pressed for such a meet
ing. We think thas was a serious omis-
sion We consider that the RESPONSE
bility of those members of the cabinet
who DID not attend the meetings Of the
war council was limited to the fact
that they delegated their authority TO
theH- colleagues who attended those
meetings
Light Blame for Kitchener.
We are of the opinion that lord
himself Of the services of his general
staff, with the result that more work
was undertaken by him than IT was
possible for one man 10 do and con-
fusion and want of efficiency resulted.
We are unable to concur in the view
set forth by lord Fisher that il was his
duty, If he differed from the chief of
his department, to maintain silence at
the council or TO resign. We think that
the adoption of any such principle gen
orally would impair the efficiency of
public service.
Political Advantages Obtained.
We think that although the main
object was not attained certain i'm
Portant political advantages upon the
nature of which we have already dwelt
" ere secured by the Dardanelles ex-
petition. Whether those advantages
were worth the loss OF life and treasure
involved. is and must always remain -
matter Of opinion"
Reveals Kitchenerss Course.
The report OF the commission saws
that lord Kitchener's premature death
and the death Of his secretary, Mai
Fitzgerald render il impossible to state
with confidence the opinions and aims
OF lord Kitchener at different periods
OF the proceedings. The commission
does not believe, however, that even
Difference to the memory OF the Illus
trious dead justifies il in abstaining
from complete revelations Of his course.
Col. Churchill testified that lord
personal qualities and posi-
ton played a very great part in the
decision of events, the report says.
SigRers of Report.
The report is signed by the late lord
Cromer. who was chairman of the COM
Andrew Fisher. representing
Australia; Thomas Mckenzie. repre-
senting New Zealand: Sir Frederick
-awley. chancellor of the duchy of Lam
;aster; James A Clyde. lord advocate;