The sun., 1918-02-13
Says Moving Of Troops from
Russian to Western Front
Proves Perfidy.
BIG BLOW IS EXPECTED
Allies Will Be Found Ready
When Augmented Forces
Begin Drive.
SILENT ON VERSAILLES
Premier Tells Parliament He
Would Quit Before Revealing
War Council Secrets.
SILENT on VERSAILLES

LONDON, Feb. 12.-In All address in
the House Of Commons to-day Premier
Lloyd George rejected tho peace speeches
OF tho Imperial German Chancellor,
Count Won Hertling, and Of the Austrian
Foreign Minister. Count Csernin, as con.
tanning no real substance. pointed out
that the transfer Of troops from the Rus
sian to the western front had completely
changed the situation. and declared that
rather than reveal the decisions Of the
Supreme War Council at Versailles he
would retire.
The Premier said Germany's violation
OF her engagement not to remove troops
, from the eastern front had to be borne
in mind when there was any discussion
OF terms Of peace because IL had a real
bearing upon guarantees. 1t was es.
sential that the whole strength Of the
allied army OF France. Great Britain,
America and Italy should be made avail
, able for the point where>the blow would
come. Arrangements should be made
under which the Allies would treat their
army as one TO meet the danger and
menace. wherever it should come.
Upon the decisions Of the Supreme
War Council. the Premier reminded the
House. depended millions Of gallant lives,
the honor and safety Of the country and
the war aims upon which the future Of
the world was dependent.
Prowess Of the Army.
! Il felt fattercd at the council" the
+, Premier added when realized thar
l ~ pA t..
! FrAnoS with the defence Of Its ca,ltAl,
| IN the most vital parts Of France and
the ports along the coast. and the de-
! niand IN France was not that our army
i should take less. but more. of the respon.
, sio'iity. That was in itself evidence Of
| the confidence felt in the gallantry and
/ pcOwess or our army. and let mo say here
OF its leadership AZ well. No man has
talked more glowingly than myself OF
! that leadership. and l do not withdraw
syllable thereof. But l beg the Hous,
ana my right honorable friend not TO
press the Government for information
winch the enemy would gladly pay large
money to get"
The Premier's refusal to explain the
enlargement OF the functions Of the Nor-
sailles council caused considerable COM
motion in the House. lie insisted ON tina
in'possbility of explaining executive
functions without at the same time
divulgng the decisions OF the council.
~ he had had an opportunity, he said,
he would have told Mr.. Asauith pri-
vate'y. and Mr.. Asquith would have
understood the impossibilty of divuls-
ing the Information publicly.
The Premier here uttered a challenge
10 cnanGe the Government. at which Mr..
| Asquith interjeNed
u have not asked for that"
Mr Lloyd George continued "Rs-
lieve me, II was a military decision, ana
one of the first magnitude"
Premier Frequently Hccklcd.
Throughout this passage tho Pre-
mier was frequently interrupted and
| heckled. He protested against news-
paper discussion of these matters. Some.
body interrupted with:
why don't YOU stop NorthclifYc from
| doing IT."
For my part. would stop them ALL.
| replied the Premier.
one OF the members suggested that the
information about such military deci-
SONS was conveyed to the newspapers
from Downing Street, and the Premier
| anSrily exclaimed:
Ihat Is an absolute and unmltigated
| falsehood. | cannot allow a statement
or that kind. have been fighting hard
against these paragraphs appearing In
wv P"pS'S anu 1 appear 10 the House
ana the public to support me-"
In the course of his explanation tn.
Premier said that before the council 10
arrived at the decision that IL was un-
! desirable to publish the facts each sepa-
rate Government had been specially con.
suited and 1t was agreed inadvisabie to
publish
Il cannot believe that either the
House OF Commons or Mr.. Asquith would
accept the responsibility for forcing the
government to reveal these matters"
continued Lloyd George. He added
that Field Marshal Halg and Gen. Rob-
ertson were present and approved the
decisions.
Throws Down the Gage.
"If the House OF Commons and the
! country are dissatisfied with the conduct
of the war; he concluded. land 10 they
think that there Is any Government
that can conduct 1t better it is their
business. in Gods name. to Put that
other Government IN. But so long az
tho House OF Commons retains its conn
dence In the Government. then. I say. Il
ought to allow the Government a. full
and free hand In the direction of the
war.
by that means you preserve national
unity and unity among the Allies---a
vital thing. Therefore I appeal to the
House to support the Government in its
| determination, first Of all. that when de.
| cisions OF this kind are come TO they
are to he carried out and are not to be-
| revealed to the enemy in order to give
information that enables him to prepare
his counter stroke"
In beginning his address the Premier
| said he had read with profound disap.
! pointment the replies given to President
Wilson and the British Government by
Germany and Austria
1T is perfectly true as far as the tone