The Washington herald., 1918-02-10
BRITONS SPLIT
OVER METHODS
OF CAMPAIGN
Factions Develop After Re-
cent Conference Of Allies
at Versailles.
By ARTHUR 9. DRAPER.
Special Cable to The Washington
Herald and New York Tribune.

speciui euutc 10 Inc ~uhutnktou
Herald and New York Tribune.
London, Feb. s.-The full results OF
the last Versailles conference have
not yet been made public. Col.
RepingtOn's telegram from Paris in
today's Morning Post Urging Parlia-
ment to Demand the Fullest De-
tails about the recent decisions of
the inter-alIied war council may be
considered the first gun in the new
battle.
I am in a position to throw some
light on this struggle. the decision of
which is OF vital interest, not only
to Britons. but to all the allies.
Col Repington. who severed his
connection with the ,Northcliffe press
some weeks back after acting for
many years as military correspondent
OF the Times, is a strong supporter
of Sir William Robertson, head Of
the war office. Repington. believes
there is a scheme on foot by the
politicians either to force Robertson's
resignation or to limit his power until
it is practically nil.
Robertson is a skilful soldier and
also has the reputation of being some
thing of a politician. As the per-
iudicHl bI1llSH TepTeStHldllNS dl
Versailles, Gen. Sir Henry Wilson en-
joys considerable authority which
Repington considers rightly belongs
to Robertson. Instead OF there being
a direct exchange between Robert
son and Haig, Repington evidently
proves that three-cornered arrange
ment has been made and that there
by Robertson has lost some OF his
authority.
Division Of Fight.
Against this situation Repington
has begun the fight which undoubt-
edly will split the politicians press.
On the one side, the conservative
papers. such as the Post" and
Globe" and the liberal Daily
News (because it hates Lloyd
campaign, while on the other side
will be the Northcliffe organs.
In the political field. the chief in
en- by Asquith. who put Robertson
in his present place. l can state
with a considerable degree of as
surance that there is no question
about Haig's command of the field
Allenby or Plumer are being consid-
cred as his successor can be dis
missed.
Robertson's position. as 1 under
stand it, is that either he must ac-
.cept the Versailles decision or re-
sign. The Evening Standard" puts
it this way: AT Versailles the
ablest men of, each nation engaged
l. h. xEiNI, r. fSfa NJ
the military chiefs, have sat to con-
slider the situation in its broadest
aspects. They have arrived at GER
tain decisions that represent the
views of the majority and it is the
duty of everyone 10 abide by those
decisions. whatever personal conse-
quences they may involve.
only two courses are honorably
open to those who disagree with the
decisions. They may cooperate TO
make the new plans successful, or
they may resign" They" l under
stand. can mean only Robertson
and Earl Derby, civil head Of the
war office.
No Action Before Wednesday.
Probably no public action will be
question will be raised in the House
of Commons. Lloyd George will then
answer questions about the Versailles
conference and it is likely that COM
mons will have a chance to divide
on the question as to whether they
are ready to support the government
or Robertson.
I understand that the government
is far from satisfied with some of the
interpretations put upon the Yer
sailles statement The conference
handled technical questions and the
statement was never intended to give
the impression that the diplomatic
policy had been abandoned. The pre-
mier has not changed the views he
expressed in his last speech. The
poorly worded explanation of the con-
ference decisions gave the wrong i'm
preston il that Interpretation Is
placed upon it. 1t is expected that
Parliament will give Lloyd George an
opportunity for a statement to this
effect
I can state that though the de-
cisions have been taken to strengthen
the military operations of the al
lies, there has been no abandonment
of the belief in the need of supple
menting force with diplomacy
They will continue to be used in
conjunction.
Dispatches from America stating
that the President has reserved the
right to continue his diplomatic Of
fensive give nothing but extreme sat
Mfaction on this side.