The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-20
Lloyd Georges Frank State
ment Confirms Impression
Held in Washington
UNITE ALL FORCES
INTO SINGLE UNIT
President Wilson S Plan to Have Every
Blow Struck in Relation to a Grand
Scheme Of Campaign Was Adopted by
Versailles Council.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20-Frank ad-
mission by Premier Lloyd George yes
terday that the convincing demand for
unified military effort under single
directing body had come from the
United States confirmed the impression
that has prevailed here since the pro
posal to send the mission headed by
Col. House to Europe first became
known. il was known unofficially at
that time that President Wilson had
become convinced that the allied cause
stood in grave danger unless a central
body could be erected with authority
to initiate warfare based on a well-di-
gestcd plan of strategy that covered
all fronts,
The President was determined that
the United States should not waste its
strength IN the war, but should, with
the co-bellIgerents, wage an efficient
battle of the most vigorous character.
His military and naval advisers had
strongly urged upon him the advisa-
blllty OF seeking to unite all the forces
opposed to Germany into a single unit
OF military power, striking every blow
for ITS relations to grand scheme of
campaign and wasting no strength in
minor engagements or unrelated of
ten9ives on the several fronts.
The Italian disaster has been cited
as q striking example of what the
lack of complete cooperation among
the allies might bring about. When
the AustroGerman drive into Italy
began, the Italian armies were threat
enlng the heart Of the whole German
military fabric. The mighty German
detenSes on the west front were threat
ened from the rear, for Austria was
crumbling under the punishment ad
mlnistered by the forces of Gen. Ca
dorna. There are officers at Washing
ton who believe that the war would
have been virtually over now had Ca
dorna S great effort been made with
the full support of the British and
French behind it. Failing that it vas
swept bacl, and the enemy given the
best military position he had occupied
since the defeat Of his drive at Paris
in 1914.
Army officers at Washington profess
complete ignorance Of the plan of cam
paign mapped out by the Versailles SUI
preme war council and upon which Mr..
Lloyd George unhcsitatingly staked the
survival Of his government, In bold
" challenging parliament, ii was point
ed out, the premier knew beyond cues
tion that the defeat of his ministry and
the consequent withdrawal of Great
n a = Al,
pose of the Versailles council meant
that no hiehly-organized allied often
sIve could be looked forward to this
year.
The premier 5 statement did not throw
any light on the plan OF action agreed
upon at Versailles. His words appar-
emily were carefully weighed to pre-
vent any inkling of that plan from be
ing drawn from them The promptncss
OF his challenge to his critics however,
| and the unreServed nature of that chal-
ienge was interpreted at Washington
as hint at great events soon to come.
| Taken in connection with President
/ Wilson S recent statement, that 1918
would be the decisive year and the re-
Peated warnings from the western
front that a great German offensive is
imminent there, Yesterdays proceed
ings III London are regarded as high
| ~ significant
It has been asserted officially and un
officially that the allies still have a
preponderance Of men and guns on the
western front and the belief at Wash
ington is that the allied council would
not be content TO await the blow OF
the enemy.
The explanation by the premier OF
the rejection Of Gen. Sir William Rob
crtson s proposal to. place a subordl
nate officer as Great Britain 3 repre-
sentative on the supreme council prob
ably throws light upon the purpose OF
the Washington government IN con
tinuing Gen. Taskcr H. Bliss, its rep
resentative at Versailles, as chief OF
staff, although his functions in that
capacity are in process of transfer Il
10. 7