The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-05-08
Gen. Maurice Accuses Lloyd
George and A. BOnar Law
of FalsehOods
ASQUITH MOVES FOR
AN INVESTIGATION
Government Will Regard Adoption of
It Tomorrow as a Vote of CenSure
and Resign-Papers Call Maurice
Letter a Bombsheu.

Letter Bombsheu.
LONDON, May S-The parliament
tary correspondents Of both the Chron-
icle and the Morning Post understand
that the government proposes TO regard
Mr. Asquith S motion for the appoint
ment of a select committee of the house
of commons to inquire into Gen. Man
rice's allegations as a vote of censure.
The decision on Thursday evening
will therefore, be of critical i'm
rortanCe A hostile majority will mean
the downfall of the government.
The Chronicle correspondent says
Thursday s division would be more
menacing if the Irish Nationalist mem
bers We're in attendance There is no
certainty that they will cross from Dub
lin to take part in it.
The Morning Post correspondent says
in the present critical stage of war a
majority of the house would hesitate
very much before taking a drastic step
which would involve the resignation of
the government.
4 bombshell. This is the most gen
eral description of the letter which
Mai Cen Sir Frederick Barton Maui
rice, who was director of British mill
tarv operations from 1918 until recently
when Brig Gen. Delma Radcliffe sue
ceeded him, has addressed to the Lon
don press. In the letter he challenged
the accuracy of certain statements
made in the house of commons witt
regard to the military situation BY
both Premier Lloyd George and An
drew Bonar Law, and demanded par
| Elementary investigation.
Andrew Bonar Law, government
| spokesman in the house of commons
announced that the government propose
to ask two judges to act as court O.
honor to investigate, the charges, mad
| by Gen. Maurice, who was recently re
moved from the post of director of mil
itary operations at the British war Of
fee
Gen. Maurice last month was trans
ferred from the British war Office t
active duties in the field His position
as chief director of military operation
was AIKEN over by Gen. Radcliffe, for
merly chief staff officer of the CANADIAN
army and chief of the British militar
mission at Italian headquarters.
Shortly before his transfer Ger
Maurice. in one of his customary week
| " interviews with American newspape
men. made remarks which were con
sldered in some quarters as reflectin
on Gen. Foch, the COMMUNICATIVE hie
of the combined allied forces. At on
point of the interview he drew a para
lei between the situation on the battl
fronts in France as it stood then an
, the battle of Waterloo, when Wellingto
. was awaiting the arrival of Bluecher
Gen Maurice then asked: "What
happening to Bluecher9 What has b,
come of the reserves2' On the follow
ing day Gen. Haig, commander of tt
British forces, announced that Frenc
requirements had reached the Rri
ish front, and this was taken as proc
by military critics that Gen. Maurice
2 intimation that Foch was slow in con
;, ing mp was unjust
Gen. Maurice s letter. said NJ
Ronar Law, raised two questions
the question of military discipline i
volved in writing such letter. and Il
question of veracity of ministerial stat
: ments.
5 As regards the first question, tn
q is being dealt with by the army cou
9 ell in the ordinary way. As regar,
: the second question. though it must
: obvious to the house that the COVER
. ment could not be carried on if an i
{ Guirv into the conduct of ministe
q should he considered necessary whe
S ever their action was challenged by
l. servant of the government who has O
/. cupied n position of the highest con
e dence, it affects the honor of the mi
a listers. and it Is proposed to invite ty
5. Judges to act as a court of honor
= inquire into the charge of msstatemen
a alleged to have been made by the mi
= isters and to report as quickly as pc
IS sible.''
Mr.. Bonar Law said the army cou
ell was dealing with questions of a
eipllne growing out of letter writ
by Gen. Maurice.
~ Former Premier Asquith gave mott
L that h" would move. for the appoir
IL ment of a committee from tho house
n commons to investigate the Maurice ;
le fair instead of having the inquiry ma
le by iudges, The motion will be debat
te on Thursday.