Arizona republican., 1917-11-20
ASQUITH. TALKS OF COUNCIL
Republican A. p. Leased WIre1

LONDON, Nov. 19.-IntenSe interest in the debate on the creation of an lnter-allied war council and Premier Lloyd Georges Paris speech on this subject was shown when the house of commons met this afternoon. The public, peers and distinguished strang- CTS galleries were crowded, while every member who could be accommo- dated either had a seat or standing space on the floor of the chamber. The usual hour devoted to questions having passed, the chief whip, Lord Edmund Talbot, moved the adjournment of the house, thus giving an opportunity for the debate, and Former Premier As quith immediately arose.
 Mir. Asquith said that in war respon- sibility for what was done and what was left undone rested on the shoulders of the government of. the day It was the business of the advisers of the gov ernment to give counsel as to the best means whereby the policy of the gov ernment could be brought to a success full issue. It was of vital importance in war that there should be frequent and intimate consultations among the statesmen of the allies and as com plete coordination as circumstances permitted. Germany had the advant- age that the policy of all the govern ments of that alliance was decided by 3 central authority; Austria and Tur key had no voice either in the policy or strategy.
 Tt is urgent" continued Mir As ouith, that the allies develop by all means possible the machinery for con crete consultation, communication and coordination. We should welcome any scheme or arrangement which would provide for more frequent communica- tion between the general staffs, sup plemented by the appointment of lia- son officers of high rank
 He would deprecate the setting up of any organization which would in terfere with the responsibility of the general staffs to their governments, he asserted, or derogate in any way from the authority and legitimate re- sponsibility of each of the allied staffs to its own people.
 Dealing with the premier's speech, MT. Asquith emphasized that there was no mention of the navy, while in many aspects of the war the navy dominated strategical considerations. It suggested unity of control and meant unity of command, but he did not desire to read any such purpose
 
 whether the advisory staff officer would have a separate staff and what would happen If his staff and the gen. srsl staff were nor in agreement. Which would give way or decide the question?
 Sir Edward Carson, interrupting, laid:
 The war cabinet"
 MT. Asquith declared that the object of the debate was to dispel certain misapprehensions which had been ex- cited not so much by the scheme as by the Paris speech. Referring to that speech he went on to say that while he would continue to eschew all unnecessary controversy he would be failing in his duty if he were to pass It by.
 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- sponsibillty, and two-Russia and Italy, which belonged to this year.
 MT. Lloyd Georges view regarding Serbia was not the view taken by any military authority of weight in this country, he asserted The proposition that there was only one front was perfectly sound, and one of the corol- laries was that you might render the best service to any ally at one end of the line by exerting the maximum eff fort at the other end of the line. It was a sacred trust of the allies to see that the future freedom and security of Serbia and Rumania were adequate ly assured.
 Mir. Asquith went though the pre- mier's references in his Paris speech to Russia and Italy and asked what the premier meant by "we.' He sug- gested a doubt whether a council at Versailles last March would have af- fected the Russian situation. He also asked whether it was not a fact that up to the eve of the German attack, General Cadorna was full of confi-
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