The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-05-17

army. was greater or less at the be-
ginning OF this year than at the be-
ginning Of last year.
My right honorable friend, whose
duty it was to answer this question on
behalf OF the war office, sent that ques-
tion to General Maurice with the
answer. (Cheefs) am not going to
read the answer which he gave because
that is on the records Of the house.
| will give the note that came from
General Maurice's department This Is
the actual document.
General Lambert--ls it signed by
him.
Lloyd George-It is initiated by his
deputy. (Cries OF oh Oh ! and some
sughter)
see that my right honorable friend,
6. Lambert, is going to draw that
distinction. That shows what sort OF
impartial judges! loud cheers)
This is the note First OF all, YOU
have got the figures inside OF course
cannot give those to the house, but
this note is summary.
From the statement included II will
ut bCCH lldl lllt NDIlbdtaHl si'hbhi
OF the British army was greater on
Jan. |, 1918, than on Jan !, l9l7.'
Increase After January 1.
This comes from General Maurice's
department nine days after made that
statement | am not depending on the
fact that all these men ruled out as
noncombatants are an essential part
OF the strength OF the British army in
France. am not depending on that.
As a matter OF fact, there was an in
crease as between Jan. |, 1918 and
March, but it just happened | thought
would take the first month OF the
year.
Now come TO the second statement
which was made by General Maurice.
There Is very important question OF
eompafis ison OF the allied and enemy
forces and it has bearing upon the
question later OF the extension of the
front. have been charged with mis-
leading the public to believe that at the
time when the attack took place by
the enemy on the allied position on
the western front we had a slight
superiority in infantry; a considerable
superiority, think, in cavalry, and
superiority in artillery, and ! also
said q superiority in the air.
Asserts Maurice Was Responsible.
With the exception OF the air--l did
not get that from General Maurice
the whole OF the figures upon which I
based that statement came from Cen
eral Maurice. asked for it. ! do
not suggest that he was the man who
worked up these figures. but he was re-
sponsible TOR documents given out by
his own department (Cheers) And may
1 just add, General Maurice has made
two statements himself on this sub
ject since the battle beganl They have
been published. I believe In America. |
did not depend upon the American pub
whether General Maurice had really
said so. and | find he did This is
what he said on March q:
There is one cardinal fact 20 keep In
mind (this he said himself and not
through officials), and that is that the
forces on the whole front are as nearly
equal as they can be-"
Forces Were Equal.
On April 3 he made this statement.
This slso, believe, appeared in the
American press:
"As regards our side OF the picture,
need only repeat what ! have already
said, that on the whole front the op-
posing forces at the beginning Of the
battle. were approximately equal, and,
therefore readjustment Of the balance
Of the battlefield is only a matter OF
time"
II there was anything In these
figures. I'got them fsom official sources
for which General Maurice himself Is
responsible, and think he might have
said that in his letter when he was
impugning the honor OF ministers.
(Cheers.l
Now come to the statement with
regard to figures said that In Me-
sopotamia there is only one white di-
( vision and in Egypt and Palestine there
are only three white divisions.
Well, now l will give here again the
sourse OF my information. The state