The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-13
WILL FIND OUT!
Whose BIunder Caused Serious
Defeat for British?
Germans Got Thru Anglo Line
Before They We're Discovered.

London Dec. IL wednesday, In
the debate in the house of commons
after the statement by Andrew Bonar
Law, chancellor of the exchequer,
there was considerable criticism of
military operations, especially those
at Cambria in the light of the editor
ial in the Times demanding an inves-
tigation John Dillon, Irish Nation
alist condemned the government for
keeping the public in the dark and
said there were rumors that the Ger
mans got three or four miles behind
the British lines in the Cambria dis
trict before they were discovered. He
added that in one village where trans
ports were being unloaded the Ger
mans walked down the street before
the British were aware that they had
penetrated the lines.
Mr.. Bonar Law said the British
movements in Mesopotamia and Pal
estine were by no means movements
of conquest The British had to de-
fend the position in Egypt and often
the best defense was to attack as had
been shown in this case. He was un-
able to give information of the future
operations around SalQnikS, but it was
absolutely certain that but for the
British forces at Saloniki the Germans
would have been in possession of
Greece and the Balkan peninsula.
Mr.. Bonar Law said that according
to all information available to the gov
eminent the rumOrS were greatly ex-
aggerated and in his opinion part of
that exaggeration are those from ex-
aggerated hopes from the British mi
tial success there.
VIII Investigate Charges.
London, Dec. 13.-The British gov
eminent will investigate the reasons
for the British reverse on the south
end of the Cambria salient This wa
the assurance given by Andrew Bonar
Law, chancellor of the exchequer, to
answering criticisms of military oper-
atoms in the house of commons TOT
day. Mr.. Bonar Law said that the
| governments information was that
rumors concerning the Cambria oper-
atoms were exaggerated greatly and
/ he had been tempted to warn the
public that nothing in the shape of a
! decisive result was expected from that
| operation.
On the night in question or early
1 in the morning, Mr.. Bonar Law said
I the Germans made three different at
! tacks upon the British Cambria
forces. The smallest of these attacks
having regard to the numbers en-
gagged, was on the part of the front
where owing to surprise, the Germans
were able to break thru. The other
1.-TWO attacks by larger forces were re-
! peIed with great loss to the enemy.
! Surprise on Misty Morning.
The moment the cabinet received ar
account of the attack, the chancellor
added, they felt that there was some
thing needed in explanation and the
first thing the cabinet did was t.
send instructions to Field Marsha
Haig to give a full report on all thai
| had happened. The idea was that the
government if it was satisfied that {
soldier in any position was not capable
of fulfilling his duties, it would NO
keep him in his position. It is no
easy for civilian with the best infor
nation to judge the qualifications O.
a soldier and also the government
must largely be guided by experts Mr.
Bonar Law said he was bound to lie
clare that with regard to the rumors {
full inquiry would be held and tn,
government would be satisfied tina
proper action would be taken as a re
suit of it
Accidents of this kind, he declared
We're inevitable in> war. Even sur
prises on a misty morning might hap
pen for which no blame could be at
tached to any one.