South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-10
GEORGE
VICTORIOUS IN
COMMONS VOTE
House Turns Down Motion to
Appoint Committee 10 Seek
Light on Charges Made
by Gen. Maurice.

AsC-NA ICaNf va ANs AAN A@AOs "A
George ministry won a notable vic
tory in the house OF commons Thurs
day. BY a vote of 2s3 10 100 the house
voted down d motion introduced by
former Premier Asquith providing
for the appointment of a special
committee 10 investigate charges
made by Maj. Gen. Frederick b.
Maurice, recently relieved Of his post
of chief director of military Oper-
atoms at the war office.
Stirred by the imminence of a
cabinet crisis, the people Of London
crowded the public galleries long
before the debate opened. The Dip
lomatic and peers galleries also
were thronged.
Immediately after the introduc-
ton Of Air. Asquiths motion, the
premier took the floor and spoke in
defense Of the government He re-
futed the charges Of Gen. Maurice,
and declared that statements made
in his recent speech, 10 which Maur-
ices charges referred, were made
on information received from Gen.
Maurice's department of the war Of
fee. He showed also by document
airy evidence that the extension of
the British line was made because
Of pressure exerted by France and
that the decision was taken on the
advice of the military authorities in
agreement with Field Marshal Hais.
the war cabinet having interferred
in no way i'm the matter although il
approved of the dispositions.
MORE.
Premier is Chccrcd.
When the premier left the house
he was loudly cheered. The premier,
discussing Gen. Matrices actions,
said he had asoertained that
Maurice had never made representa-
tons to the chief of staff on the
subject.
Yes" the premier continued sar-
castically, this is so important that
a select committee must he set up
TO inquire into it; so important as
to justify Gen. Maurice trampling
on the kings regulations and set
ting up an example Of undiscipline
to the whole army"
Both he and Bonar Law were
anxious for an examination Of their
statements by a perfectly impartial
tribunal, he said.
There was a mass of confidential
documents involved and he main
tanned that a select committee was
not the best tribunal to investigate
facts when passions were aroused.
90 Lone
came to a similar decision when
such questions Of disputed elections
were involved. Mr.. Asquith had
deprecated a select committee to
investigate Mesopotamia FOR reasons
which the premier considered right
Refers to Army.
With reference 10 the strength OF
the army the premier said:
There is absolutely no doubt
that there was a very considerable
addition to the man power Of the
army az the beginning Of 1918 as
compared with the man power at
the beginning Of 1917 n France.
There was a great increase in the
man power OF the army throughout
the world in 1918 as compared with
1917. But the increase In France
was greater than the average
throughout the whole area
With reference TO the extension of
the British front. after declaring
tina Gen. Maurice. although at Yer
sailles. was not In the council
chamber the premier said:
There was not a single yard
taken over as the result of the Yer
sallles council. Although Gen.
Maurice did not say so. the real
point was this: 1t was asked in a
question by Mr. Lambert whether
this portion of the line had not been
taken over by the war cabinet
against the objection OF Field Mar
shall Haig' and Gen. Robertson.
There was not a word of truth in It,
OF course Field Marshal Haig was
not anxious TO extend his line nor
was the war cabinet. The pressure
from the French government and
the French army was enormous.
81 am not suggesting for a mo-
ment that our French allies were
acting unfairly. There was consid-
cradle ferment then in France last
year on the subject Of the length Of
the line held by the French army.
French Losses Enormous.
The French losses have been
enormous and they had sustained
the great strain of the fighting for
three years.
There was a larger proportion OF
French manhood put into the line
than in any other belligerent coun-
try. They held a front Of 326 miles:
we held 100 miles. But the Ger
mans were massed much more
densely against our line and our
lines were much more vulnerable.
The French were pressing US TO ex-
tend our line In order that they
might withdraw men from the army
for purposes OF agriculture Their
output had fallen enor-
mously and they found IL essential
that they should withdraw part OF
their men for the purpose OF cul-
tlvatlng their soil
THE chief Of the French staff
and Gen. Robertson and the cabinet
felt that it was inevita BILE that dur
ing the winter months there should
ha cor,a avrauSsop hut tta,. a..