Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-22
ANOTHER CRISIS
Is SAFELY PASSED
BY LLOYD GEORGE
British Premier Says America
Urged Step NeCeSSitating
the Retirement of Robertson
and JeIIiCoe


mounted another crisis" and the par
liamentary waters appear to run smooth
ly again after a weeks turmoil stirred
up by the retiremen. of General Robert
son. chief of the imperial general staff.
In the house of common yesterday
the premier explained and defended the
recent Teorgaa .zation of the Versailles
council and his dealings with the famous
British chief Of stan. There was no
proposal for a vote OF want of con1-
dence. but II. II. Asqulth, the former
premier. expressed regret that the eX-
plantations had not been given week
ago. when the premier declared he could
not go into the subject without giving
information TO the enemy.
The premier's speech was a detailed
which the powers at Versailles had ar
rived at the principles of their latest
form of cooperation.
The plan finally agreed upon by the
council, he said, was due largely to the
strong logical representations which the
American delegates had submitted and
the premier several times reverted to
the influence which American policy had
exercised upon the results of the con-
ference. He paid warm tribute to Gen
eraI Robertson and expressed the regret
of the government that it had been un-'
able to induce him to take position in
which his abilities would be most use
full
M Asuuith asserted the country re-
garded with deep concern the recent en-
forced retirement of the governments
chief naval and military advisers, Ad-
miral Jellicoe and General Robertson.
Confidence N Leaders
The public and their own professions
had the utmost confidence in these men
Mr.. Asquith added that the country had
noted both retirements were preceded
by a hostile press campaign. The pub
lie questioned whether these losses were
compensated by the retention of the Earl
of Derby i'm the war ministry and the
appointment as director OF foreign press
propaganda - referring to Viscount
Northcliffe. although he did not mention
his name-One whose newspaper had
conducted the press campaign.
There was little alteration between
the two premiers over the question or
General Robertson's failure to approve
the Versailles plan. Finally Mr.. As
quith said he did not quarrel in the
least with the decisions OF the Yer
sailfes council in respect to its func-
tions. He took the view that the ques-
ton at issue was a domestic matter
and supported the view that the mill
tary representative at Versailles should
be a representative of the chief of the
general staff
1t was felt, Premier Lloyd George
said in his speech, that the new exec
utive body at Versailles must know
not only about their own armies and
about their own fronts. but also about
all conditions on all fronts and in all
armies and in all nations. Versailles
had become the repository of infOrma-
of all fronts, all armies, all nationali-
ties, all staffs and all foreign offices
and that information was being co-or-
dinated by very able staffs. The pre-
mier declared he was anxious that the
Versailles arrangements be worked out
whole-heartedly by the military author
titles here and in France. He had had
a talk with Field Marshal Haig, who
said he was prepared to work under
them
Duties Of Chief
The arrangements were that the
British permanent military adviser at
the Versailles council should become a
member of the army council, that he
should be in constant communication
with the chief of the imperial general
staff and that he should be absolute
ly free and unfettered in the advice he
gives as a member of the board of
military representatives at Versailles.
He was to have the powers necessary
to enable him to fulfill the duties inn
posed upon him by recent Versailles
decisions.
The chief of the general staff was to
hold office under the same conditions
and with the same powers as previous
chiefs of staffs and was TO remain the
supreme military adviser to the gov
eminent.
I'VE were under the impression" the
premier said. that all difficulties, con-
stitutional and technical, definitely had
been overcome by this document which
had been shown to Field Marshal Haig.
General Robertson, unfortunately, was
away at the time, otherwise he would
have been present at the conference. Be
ing under the impression that all diff
ferences had been removed and that
Versailles had become more important
as the center, the government offered
the position to General Robertson. Only
after this occurred L became aware
that General Robertson was not willing
10 acquiesce in the system and that he
took objection, not on the technical
and constitutional grounds, but on mill
itary grounds, to the system which the
Versailles council had decided unani-
mousIy to adopt"
The premier, in praising General Rob
ertson, said they had parted without an
unkind word. The government proposed
20 invite from the highest military au-
thOrities suggestions as to the best
means Of removing the anxiety. If a
suggestion came for making a better
arrangement from that point of view
Single Desire
There Also were difficulties, he said,
arising from national feeling, historical
tradition and suspicion which might in
duce the belief that one country was
trying TO seek advantage for itself All
these things hampered every alliance.
Trust and confidence among the allies
was the very soul of victory and he
never ceased to plead for it, The premier
added:
We discussed and rediscussed this
plan with the single desire that our
whole concentrated strength should be
modified TO resist and break the most
terrible foe that ever confronted civiliZa-
tion. The enemy had rejected the most
moderate terms ever advanced because
ne was convinced the Russian collapse
put il in his power to achieve victory
and impose Prussian dominance by
force on Europe