Norwich bulletin., 1917-11-20
Commons Debates
 Allied War Council
ASoUITH OPENS OPPOSITION TO
 LLOYD PLAN
IS FOR GENERAL STATES

Asquith Would Welcome Any Arrange
 quent Communication Between Gen
 eraI Staffs, But is Oposed to Pro-
 posed Inter-AIIied Council.
 London, Nov. 19.|ntense interest ir1 the debate on the creation of an inter allied war council and Premier Lloyd Georges Parish speech on this subject was shown when the house of com mons met this afternoon. The public, peers and distinguished strangers galleries were crowded, while every member who could be- accommodated had either a seat or standing space on the floor of the, chamber. The usual hour devoted to questions havin: passed, Chief Whip Lord Edmund Ta1- bot moved the adjournment of the house. thus giving an opportunity foI the debate, and the former premier, MT. Asquith, immediately arose.
 Asquith Opens Opposition.
 MT. Asquith said that in war respon- sibility for what was done and what was left tIndone rested on the shoul = ders of the government of the day. It was the business of the advisors Of the government to give counsel as t. the best means whereby the policy cf the government could be brought to :, successful issue. It was of vital inn portance in war that there should be frequent and Intimate consultations among the statesmen of the allies and as complete co-ordina ton as circum- stances permitted. Germany had the advantage that the policy of all the governments of that alliance was de, cided by a central authority; Austria and Turkey had no voice in either the policy or strategy.
 "It is urgent" continued Mr. As quith, "taat the allies develop by all crete consultation, communication and coordination. We should welcome any scheme or arrangement which would provide for more frequent communica- t1on between the general staffs, sup plemented by the appointment of liaison officers of high rank"
 No Interference With General staffs.
 He would deprecate the setting up of any organization which would in terfere with the responsibility of the general staffs to their governments, or derogate in any way from the au- thority and legitimate responsibility of each of the allied staff to it's own peo1 pie. zr.}s zss55.-- .--.s.
 J< Dealing with the premier's speech. Mr. Asqluth strongly emphasized that there was no mention of the navy while in many aspects of the war the
  tions. It suggested unity of control and meant unity of command but he did not desire to read any such p:fr- pose into the premier's statement Ffe asked whether the advisory staff, of fcer would have a separate staff ard what would happen if his staff anI the general staff were not in agree ment. Which would give way or de- eide the question?
 Sir Edward Carson, interruDt;ng: "The war cabinet"
 MT. Asquith said that the object of the debate was to dispel certain mis- apprehensions which had been excited not so much by the scheme as by the Paris speech.
 Cited Four Cases.
 The premier had selected four cases in criticism of the allied strategy two, Serbia and Rumania, in which he himself and MT. Lloyd George had in their respective capacities equal re-. sponsfbility, and two, Russia and Italy, which belonged to this year. MT. Lloyd Georges view regarding Serbia was not the view taken by any mili- tary authority of weigit in this coun- try, he asserted. The proposition that there was only one front was perfectly sound and enc of the corollories was that you might render the best service to any ally at any one end of the line by exerting the maximum effort at the other end of the line. It was a sacred
 
 ture freedom and security of Serbia and Rumania were adequately assured.
 MT. Asquith went through the pre- mier's references in his Paris speech to Russia and Italy and asked what the premier meant by swe."
 He suggested a debate whether a council at Versailles last March would have affected the Russian situation that up to the eve of the German at tack General Carodna was confident he would triumph over it.
 MT. Lloyd George regaled the good people of Paris" he added, with ir- relevant rhetoric"
 Mr. .Asquith doubted whether any allied council would have interfered with the successful offensives in the west in favor of more attractive ad- ventures elsewhere and concluded:
 We have no reason to be ashamed of our contribution to the war. We have kept the seas free. We have ex- banded our army into seventy di visions and we have placed our arse nalsi and credit at the disposal of our allies, and so we will go on to the end"
 Premier Lloyd George Replies.
 Premier Lloyd George in replying said that far more important than anything he had said in Paris was to decide whether greater unity of con- trol was needed and whether this was taking the right course to secure it. He readirmed that the allies had suf- fered by lack of coordination and that any criticism he had directed against the past was not directed against any stan or any commander in this or any other country. He lad merely used certain illustrations where lack of coordination among the allies had brought disaster, without any blame being attached to any com mander 6r staff.
 
 ATTEMPT MADE TO WRECK