New-York tribune., 1918-05-11
Earl Says if Premier Had
r.lIen Berlin Alone Would
Have Rejoiced
Military Menace Is
Greatest in 4 Years
Speaker Calls England the
Pillar and Bulwark of
Worlds Liberties

LONDON, May 10.-Speaking at the
,nnuaI meeting of the Primrose
League to-day Earl Curzon, government
ls.der in the House Of Lords and men,
her Of the British War Council, de-
tended the British War Cabinet. The
sresent government, he said, was pre-
1;cted by some to be doomed to a short
sristence. He continued:
ave have been told frequently dur
;ne the last few months that our gov
eminent was in weekly. if not daily,
oeril of having an end put to its exist
euce. Against it only yesterday was
directed lethal blow which somehow
rsnced off the target.
"The present is not moment for
pyophecy. It IS moment for Crap
sing with hard facts. because the mill
,sry menace is greater than at any time
turing the last four years. 1t may
ru.hfully be said that the enemy is at
sar gates. and the hour of destiny is
gith US at this very moment"
AstOnished at Proposals
Earl Curzon said he was thoroughly
sstonished when he read in the news
papers proposals made by responsible
persons that the right thing to do at
this emergency was TO place generals
and admirals inside the Cabinet. The
strange thing about this suggestion. he
sad, was that it was made by those
sao "shrieked about German mill
tarism."
ALet the generals and admirals." he
continued, ATTEND Cabinet meetings as
they do every day and advise Cabinet
Minister'S, but the moment a soldier is
placed in control OF policy and ad-
ministration the soldier is spoiled and
he does not improve administration
The names of great soldiers have been
used by party politicians. This is de-
plorable in the extreme, fatal to mill
iary discipline and a dangerous form
Of contagion. Such a practice is ex-
tremely obnoxious to the army ITSELF"
Britain Bulwark of Liberty
He said that mistakes might have
been made, but, he said, "since the
present government has been in office
the empire has given forth war effort
which has never been equalled in his
tory. The position of England to-
day lis that she is at the moment the
pilhr and hulwark which is upholding
the liberties Of the world"
Earl Curzon did not claim that the
present government was Indispensable.
There were. he said, other patriotic,
disnterested men who might take Of
fee and discharge their duties we'll,
but he said the British Empire would
sooner have Lloyd George as Premier
than any other statesman.
If Lloyd George had fallen yester-
day' he said. "the rejoicings would
have been in Berlin and not in London,
Paris, Calcutta or Montreal. The
country is sick of ratings and wailings
made under the shelter of the forms of
distinguished soldiers. The moment a
country allows. military administra-
ion to assume the upper hand it is on
he path that leads to disaster"
Grave Times Are Ahead"
He said yesterdays vote in the House
Of Commons was much more than a
mere refutation of charges against the
aln.stry. 1t was a warning to snipers
and sharpshooters to quit those tactics
md that Commons had no sympathy
WITH their mannuvres.
Grave times arc. ahead" he con-
inued, "snd British soldiers may have
y give ground. Encouragement is to
@ found, however, in the unity of com
Fand. in Americas effort and in the
ssolutc, :ndomitable spirit of the Brit
sh people"
he concluded with a wish that Ire
snd had Joined in the military effort
and hoped that it was not yet too late
There is only one thing we cannot
aaesd 10 lose. and that is the war" he