New Britain herald., 1918-05-08

III
Wark Against Anti Governments n
olution to be Moved by Ex-Prer,|
AsqWth-Maurice Charged Minis
With Making Public Misstaten
of Facts.
! London, May 8.-The goyernuaI
| 1as ISSUED summons to its support
requesting their attendance in
mouse OF commons on Thursday w
Mr. Asquith will move a resoIud
"hlch, II carried, will be a vote
censure of the government. divis/
Is absolutely certain, says the cal.
Accorpind to the press associa4
the proposal to refer the Maurica
1alr to two judges may be regarded
Withdrawn, as the suggestion did
appeal to the members of the hoN
ana Its rejection by Mr.. Asquith
MS followers renders it worthless.
On the other hand, it is added
Is doubtful whether any other I'D
OF inquiry will be held and it is IiIl
the premier will give the house
fullest possible information consist
With public safety citing figures
proof of his statement of the rela{
strength of the army in January. 1
and january, 1918. AS regards ot}
matters involved in the statement
General Maurice, it is understood d
an explanation consistent with b
versions will be made.
AS consequence of the poIitl
situation brought about by Gen. M
rlce's letter the premier, accord
to the lobby correspondent of
Daily Telegraph, considers it unavc
able to disclose facts which have b
withheld up to this time for militI
reasons. The premier, it adds,
ready to give facts and figures wi
the Asquith motion on Thurs
comes up.
The action of Gen. Maurice, ford
chief director of military operatiD
at the war office, in impugning
Veracity of ministers of the COVE
ment has created a most serious
litbcal situation and one of vital q
sequences to the cabinet, accord
to views expressed by several of
morning papers.
thursdays debate, the Daily I'd
graph thinks, will be the most sew
the government has been forced i
face. The paper is convinced t
the ministers acted in perfect ed
faith when they made the stateme
which Gen. Maurice contradicts
believes they merely repeated inf
nation supplied by their military
visers. This paper believes the co
try has complete confidence in
government but adds:
There is no doubt that the OBJ
sition led by Mr.. Asquith regards
time ripe to accept the responsible
of office. 1t is for the house of. ed
mons to choose. The alterr1atM
government would be exclusively
radical one"
The Maurice Letter.
The letter of General Maurice
written to. the morning pafSers.
charged Bonar Law and Prem
Lloyd George with having made N
statements in the house of comm1
with reference to military .mattl
and said they were the latest in
series made by the government
L.
General Maurice recalls that Bod
Law, while answering questions
the house of commons on April
said the extension of the BritI
front in France was not dealt WI
by the Versailles war council and |
asserts that the chancellor of the
chequer's statement is incorrect.
declares: 'I was at Versailles WI
the question was decided by
council to which it had been
ferred"
General Maurice then trayerses
Premier Lloyd Georges assertion
April 8 that the British army
france was considerably stronger
January l, 1918, than it was on Ja
uary 1, 1917, adding:
THAT statement implies tH
Haig's fighting strength on the
Of the battle beginning March
had not been diminished. That
rot correct.
General Maurice also denies 7
truth of Premier Lloyd Georges
sertion that there was only one w
division in Mesopotamia and
three white divisions in Egypt
Palestine.
The former director of mil
operations forestalls the pos
charge that he engaged in a
tary conspiracy, and says he hal
the least desire to see the go3
ment in the hands of soldiers.
MY reasons for taking the
grave step of writing this letter
says, ARE that the statcment
ferred to are known by large
her of soldiers to be incorrecf
this knowledge is breeding SUD
trust of the government as cad
CONTINUED On Eleventr.P