Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-04
LORD HARD|NCE EXPLAINS
MESOPOTAM|A DISASTER
Defends His Own Course in Expedi-
tion-Bagdad Advance Thought
Feasible.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 4.-There was an I'M
usual scene in the house OF lords yes
terday afternoon when Baron Har-
dihge, the former vfcroy of India, ap-
peared to defend and explain his
share in the management of the first
minated in the surrender Of Maj. Cen
Townsend at Kut-el-Amara with the
largest British force which had laid
down arms before an enemy In more
than a century.
The recent report of a commission
on the Mesopotamia expedition and the
charges contained therein created q
greater sensation In Great Britain
than any similar episode since the
Crimean war. and portion OF the
|peaohment or the dismissal from pub
lie office Of all concerned. including
Baron Hardinge, who now is per-
manent under secretary Of the foreign
office.
Only theoretically Responsible.
Lord Hardinge said:
sponsible for everything that happens
in India and outside Of India where
Indian interests are affected. But he
has to trust to his lieutenants and adj
Private rumor said that things were
going badly. The official report said
they were going well. 1t was my first
duty to ascertain the truth: 1t may
be difficult for people in England to
realize the inherent difficulties in
personal supervision by the viceroy
Of medical arrangements on a river
1900 miles away in the midst of his
other heavy labors Of governing a
country bigger than Europe and with
more than 30o.ooo.oo0 Inhabitants"
He expressed regret that the COM
missions report might create a feeling
in India that midas efforts and sacri-
fees had not been adequately appre-
ciated at home.
Question Of Advance.
Dealing with the circumstances Of
Gen. Sir John Nixon's advance from
kut toward Bagdad with an insufficient
force. Lord Hardinge said that al
though the government of India was
advantages of the capture of Bagdad,
1t was absolutely opposed to an ad-
vance without reinforcement by an
other division. and he read published
| correspondence with the Indian Office
| to that effect. Gen. Nixon reported d.
| could defeat the Turks and occupy
| Bagdad, that il the Turks were REIN
| forced he would need another division.
1t must be remembered. said Lord
| Hardinge. that Gen. Nixon was at the
head of a victorious army. The de-
| cision rested with the home govern
ment. the Indian government could only
make recommendations.
THE question appears to have been
| threshed out by an fnterdepartmental
committee in London and the combined
STATS: and all the military authorities
in London and India, and so far as I
then knew, in Mesopotamia were in
agreement that Gen. Nixon's force was
but not sufficient to insure it's reten-
ton. In consequence presumably 'of
this united opinion the advance upon
Bagdad received the sanction of his
majestys government"
Deplores suherings.
| Turning to the medical arrangements,
Lord Hardinge said:
| ut cannot be denied that the wound
ed coming down the river suffered ter
rible hardships and privation. share
| entirely the horror and indignation the
! revelation of these sufferings has
| created"
| Owing to the conflict between the
| rumors and the oficial reports Lord
| Hardinge instituted investigations
| which resulted in a report that was
| incorporated in the commissions re-
| port. The only observation he could
make wasrhat the sending Of hospitals
and personnel to other theaters Of the
war had exhausted an organization
| that had never been intended for
| operation outside Of India.