The sun., 1918-02-20
ALL AGREED 70 PLAN.
Premier Tells of what Hopes Are
Centred ON Versailles.

Neutre0 Om NCTUohAhCDs
LONDON, Feb. 1s.-In a statement In
the House Of Commons to-day Premier
Lloyd George gave his explanation for
the recent army changes which involved
the resignation Of Gen. Sir William
Robertson as Chief Of STAFF. The Pre-
mier said that the Entente Allies at the
Supreme War Council In Versailles had
decided to set up a central authority
10 coordinate the strategy of the Allies
and that the changes followed as q
result Of Great Britain accepting the
plan.
Wanted TO Retain Robertson.
In beginning his explanation. Mr..
Lloyd George said that the Government
had wished to retain the services Of Gen.
Robertson as chief Of stan 80 long a.
was compatible with the policy decided
in common with Great Britain's allies.
In the absence of any test vote. which
Mr.. Lloyd George asked, there Is no
means Of estimating the result of his
address to-day and the effect on the
crisis. the most serious the Government
has encountered since Mr. Lloyd George
has been in once. 1t was noticeable to
t.ose who have heard his crucial
speeches in the House that the cheering
which greeted his entrance to-day was
comparatively subdued and that the
hearty applause which followed his ad-
dress was a cold demonstration In COM
parison to others which have been given
- him under similar conditions.
Mr.. Lloyd George confirmed the re-
pert that Gen. Robertson had refused the
position at Versailles, and that when he
refused that post he was offered the po-
sition OF chief OF the general stan.
with powers adapted to the position
which had been set up at Versailles"
The Premier added that the Govern
nent felt It essential that the British
representatives at Versailles should be
equal IN authority to the representative
OF any other country. When Gen. Rob-
ertson came to the conclusion that under
the conditions laid down he could not
accept either position the Government
with the deepest regret found itself
pound 10 go on without him.
We had to choose between a policy
deliberately and unanimously arrived at
by the representatives of the allied
Powers explained the Premier. land
retiring the services Of a distinguished
and valued public servant. When II
came to a policy OF such magnitude we
were bound to stand by the arrange
ment We had come to with our allies.
Great Allied Policy.
III the policy is right no personalities
Hou'd stand In the way Of it's execu-
Lon. however valuable and distin-
gu!shed. It isnot the policy of this Gov
'Fnment but Of the great allied Gov
efnnents IN concert. There Is abso-
!utely no difference between our policy
and tho policy OF France, Italy and
Am in this respect
The Premier said that the conclusion
reached at Versailles was the result Of
me very powerful representations made
by the representatives OF the other Gov
ernments. notably the American Gov
einmen' The policy was based on the
assumption that the Allies had hitherto
suffered through lack OF concerteds md
'oordinated effort. and that their pur-
pose and policy now was to get concen-
'ra''on ard unity OF effort.
II was felt, the Premier said. that the
,'" executive body at Versailles must
anon. not only about their own armies