The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-20
British PREMIER
WEATHERS STORM
OF ARMY CRITICS
Continued From p.o, ~.

The plan finally agreed upon by
the council, he said, was due largely
TO the strong logical representa-
tons which the American delegates
had submitted In the form OF =
memorandum, and the premier sew
efal times reverted TO the in
iluence which American policy had
exercised upon the results Of the
conference.
lie paid warm tribute 10 General
Robertson and expressed the regret OF
'h6 government that II had been I'M.
able to induce him 90 take q position
40 which hs abilities would he most
useful Ne declared that their personal
relations always had been cordial
Regrets Robertson Retirement
Mr. A,1uth asserted the country re-
rlrlcd with deep concern the recent en-
forced retirement of she governments
chief naval and military advisers, Nd
mrral J]clli.uc and General Robertson.
The public and their own professions
had the utmost cont lrurc iu both men
Mr. A,lu'h added that the country
had noted that both retirement, were
proceeded los q hostile pres, campaign
Inc public questioned whether the
lls,r. were compensated by the re-
tcntion OF the Ilrl OF Derby IN the
war ministry and the appointment as
director of foreign pres, propaganda
referring 90 NlsCDunt N0rlhclIllc, al
though he did not mention his namc-
one whose new papers had conducted
the press campaign
Versailles Is Repository.
There was a lulle alteration between
the two premier, over the question
of General Rrbcr'sou's failure to ap-
prove the Versailles plan Finally As
1uth said he did not quarrel M the
least with the decisions of the Yer
allies council IN respect o. IT'S iunc-
tons lie took the view that tine QueS.
ton at issue was a domestic matter
and supported the view that the military
representative at Versailles should he a
representative OF the chief of the gen
cral staff II was felt, however, that
o., Lloyd George said in his speech
that the new executive body at
Versailles must know not only about
their own armies and their own front,
but also about all conditions ON all
fronts and IN all armies and IN all
nations, Versailles bad become the re-
posltory OF information Of all fronts, all
armies, all ]nl,lonaliiicS. all STATS and
all foreign offices and that information
was being c)o-ordnatcd hy very able
stats. 1t constituted information which
mo- single war office possessed.
The premier declared he was anxious
that the Versailles arrangements he
worked on whole hcartcdlv by the mill
'ary authorities here and IN France.
He had a talk with Field Marshal Haig.
who said he was prepared to work
under them.
Should Act as Advisor.
The arrangements were that the Brit
i,h permanent military adviser at the
Versailles council should become a
member Of the army council, that he
should begin constant communication
with the chief OF the imperial general
staff and that he should he absolutely
Tree and unicllcrcd in tho advice lie
gives as a member of the board Of mill
lary representative at Versailles. lie
was to have the powers necessary to
enable him to fulfill the duties imposed
upon him by recent Versailles decisions.
The chief Of the general staff was 20
bold office under the same conditions
and with the same powers as previous
chiefs OF staff and was TO remain the
uprcmc military adviser TO the govern
mcnt
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 Hang
General Robertson, unfortunately, was
| away at the time, otherwise he would
have been present at the conference.
Robertson Not willing.
Being under the impression that all
difficulties 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, ! became aware that
General Robertson was not willing 10
acQuicscc in the system and that he took
objection, not on technical and conStl-
t]utional grounds, but ON military
grounds, to the system which the Yer
saillcs council had decided unanimously
to adopt
The premier in praising General Rob
crtson said they had parted without an
unkind word The government pro-
posed to invite from the highest military
authorities suggestions as to the best
means Of removing the anxiety and that
in the scheme put forward in order 10
secure concerted and combined action
between the allies, it had not done
| something 10 impair the efficiency OF
AA0IuElc m Iulo