The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-10

of the BritiSh cabinet. having regarded for the pressure from the French authorities. Field Marshal Haig had no option but to make the extension He was. in our Judgment. absolutely right in that course. Naturally. we would have preferred not to have done 1t.
 What has been the result? There have been pernicious rumors, full of michief. full of harm so far as the British army is concerned. that we in spite of the remonstrances of Haig and Robertson. forced them to take a risk they ought never to have taken. Does anyone suppose that Field Marshal Haig would for moment have ac- eepted such a responsibility?
 I am not sorry that this opportun- ity has been given to dispose once and for all of these rumors. But tbe real lesson of this discussion about the extension of the line was the inn portance of the unity of command. ana It would never have arisen but for that Instead of separate army com mands,S we have now one united army and one commander responsible for the whole and every part. l am glad of that,
 QUESTION OF RESERVES But 1t was not 50 much a dues- ton of length of line It was ques- ton or the reserves massed behind them. There are two general con- sideratlons to which I must refer I would like to say something about the effect of such action as General Matrices on the discipline of the army It was a flaSrant breach of discipline, wnlch l regret MT Asquith failed to deprecate this.p
 Continuing with reference to Gen. eral Matrices charges the premier said:
 DUTY OF MAURICE
 Tt was his duty to go first of all to the minister impugned and point out the mistake and ask him to cor rect It. Never syllable was there un- tii saw ms letter in the newspapers. l say l nave been treated badly, Per- maps General Maurice thought it was ms business to approach his own chiei of staff first"
 me premier said Mir. Asquith spoke as II the whole press was supporting the government. MT. Asquith had his own press, too, although he seemed to think that all the violent and virulent press was that with which MT. Asquith did not agree. He added:
 VIII point out that in the last two or three years. since l have thrown my seIf into the vigorous prosecution of the var have been drenched with cocoa slop.
 If there was a vote of censure on the government we could not possibly con- tmue operation, if it carried, and MT. As auth would then be responsible for the government"
 (cries of No, nor' Cheers, and wait and seenD
 The premier continued his reference to General Matrices breach of discipline and asserted that he ought to have tried everything before he did such thing Then he said:
 PREMIER MAKES APPEAL
 T wonder if it is worth while to make another appeal to all sections of the country. These controversies are dis tracing, paralyzing, rending. It is dif- heult enough for any ministers to do their work fighting this war. We had months of controversy over unity of command. This is really a sort of remnant of that controversy. National unity is threat ened; the unity of the army is threat ened
 .'We have been occupied in hunting up records, minutes letters. interviews, raking up what happened over a whole 12 months in the war cabinet. And this at such a moment
 T have just returned from France, where the generals were telling me how the Germans were silently preparing, perhaps, for the biggest blow of the war These things are happening now. They are asking me for certain help. I have brought home list of things they want