New-York tribune., 1918-05-10

ed: The War Cabinet approved the
suggestion of the chief Of staff that
he should reply to Field Marshal
Haig in the following sense: The
War Cabinet are of the opinion that
in deciding to what extent the Brit
ish troops can take over the line from
the French regard must be had to the
necessity for giving them a reasona-
Bile opportunity for leave for rest and
training during the w1n,er months
and for the plan of operations for
next year, and, further, that while
the present offensive continues it
will not be possible to commence
taking over more. The general mill
tary policy for next year is now under
consideration, and will subsequently
form the subject of conference with
the Allied governments. In these cir
cumstances the War Cabinet fear
that until this policy is settled it will
be premature to decide finally
whether the British front can be ex-
tended by four divisions or to a
greater or less extent than this That
was communicated to Field Marshal
Haig and never departed from"
The Premier continued: "Afterward
came the Cambrai incident and the
Italian disaster, which necessitated our
sending troops from France. That
made it difficult fer the field marshal to
carry out the promise he had made to
General Petain for certain extern
sion, which was not as large as the
one which subsequently took place. 1t
was then that the present French Pre-
mier came in, and ne Is not an easy
gentleman to refuse. Laughter and
the British army should take the line
over. We stood by the position that
that was Tor decision by the command
er in chief. We never swerved from
that position.
"At last Premier Clemenceau sug-
gested that the question should be ex-
amined by the military representatives
at Versailles, and that the Versailles
Council should decide if there were
any difference Of opinion. The military
representatives at Versailles examined
the question, and the only interference.
If it was interference, of the War Cabi-
net was that they communicated with
the chief of staff, who we thought was
in France at the time, and Field Mar
shall Haig, to urge upon them the i'm
portance of their case for Versailles, SO
as to make the strongest possible case
for the British view. That was the
cnly interference so far as the British
Cabinet was concerned. The military
representatives at Versailles suggested
compromise between the British and
French view, coupling it with the rec
cmmendation that steps ought to be
taken by the French army to assist
the British, if attacked.
Agreed on Extension
"That recommendation was to come
up for discussion at the meeting of the
Versailles Council on February l. Be
fore that meeting Field Marshal Haig
and General Petain met and entered
into an agreement for an extension of
the front to Varissy, and Field Marshal
Council No further extension of the
line occurred.
THAT is the whole story, and I want
to make it perfectly plain that Field
Marshal Haig's action in taking over
the extension had the full approval of
the British Cabinet. Having regard for
the pressure from the French authori-
ties, Field Marshal Haig had no option
but to make the extension. He was, in
cur Judgment. absolutely right in that
course. Naturally he would have pre-
ferred not OF have done it.
Based on Maurice's Data
In regard to the comparison between
the enemy and the Allied forces, the
Premier added, he was charged with
misleading the public, but all the fig-
ures on which his statement was based
came from General Maurice's depart
ment.
The statement that three British di-
visions were present in Egypt, he ex-
planned, was made at a Cabinet meet
ing, when General Maurice was pres
ent, and he had never corrected it.
Regarding the extension of the
British front, the Premier went on,
General Maurice was at Versailles, but
was not in the council chamber. He
was in building outside, with others,
assisting the council. The extension
Of the front Of General Coughs army,
the Premier declared. was never dis
cussed at that council, and the ex-
tension was an accomplished fact be-
fore the council met.
Mr.. Lloyd George said General Mau-
rice, in the absence Of the chief of
staff, attended the Cabinet meeting on
the day after his (ths Premier's)
speech. He was there on the following
day as we'll. He did not call attention