Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-02-21

LIOyd-George Says u. S. Urged
War Body Rule.
ASKS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
British Premier Asserts Vestina Of
Supreme Council With Full Pow
er Was Forced by Mill
tary Mistakes

London. Feb. 20.-Premier Lloyd
! George made in the house of commons
| his eagerly awaited statement regard
| ing the recent army changes. He said
| the government was anxious to retain
| the services of Gen. Sir William Rob
| ertsOn as chief of staff so long as il
was compatible with the policy decid-
| ed upon in common With Great Brit
| aims allies.
The American representatives at the
! Versailles war council declared with
! irresistible power and logic" for the
| plan for expansion of the supreme
| councils power, the premier said.
| If he should show the document
| submitted by the Americans, said Mr..
| lloyd George, there would be no need
! to make speech.
LlOyd-GeOrge demanded an immedi-
! ate vote as to whether the house and
the country wishes the government TO
| proceed on its present war policy. He
| declared that ii the vote of confidence
| is not given he would quit Office
The premier asserted that the con-
| cluSiOn reached at Versailles were the
result Of very powerful representations
by the delegates Of ott er governments,
| notably the American government.
Il hesitated for some time" said the
premier, in referring to the American
! representations whether / should not
| read in the house of commons the very
| cOgent documents submitted by the
| American delegation which put the
case for the present proposal. 1t is
| one of the ableSt documents ever sub
mitted to a military conference. The
| only reason why l do not read it to
! the house is that it is mixed up with
the plan of operations"
Robertson Plan Turned Down.
General Robertson, said the premier,
suggested modification of the proposal
| by making the representative at Ner~
! sailleS a deputy of the chief of staff.
! The government felt bound to reject
| this suggestion, as it involved putting
d subordinate in the position of first
magnitude, which might impose upon
him the necessity of taking vital deci-
sions under instructions given him be-
| lure Ill'1 ItilI 1dCLS were hIlONI.
The premier announced that Gen.
Sir Henry Seymour Rawlinson had
been appointed to represent Great
| Britain on the supreme war council at
| Versailles
THE case is presented with irresist-
| ible power and logic" he added. "What
| happened? We altered the proposal
here and there. There was a good
| deal of discussion, which took some
hours. There was not single dissen-
| tient voice SO far as the plan was con-
! cerned."
The premier said the policy of the
government was based upon the as
sumption that the allies had suffered
| in the past through lack of concerted
| and cO-ordinated efforts. 1t had been
decided to set up a central authority TO
coordinate the strategy of the allies.
Mr.. LIoyd-George said it was essen
tial that decisions should be taken in
| stantly at Versailles Meeting separ-
ately, the delegates Of the respective
allies, he explained, considered their
| own plan, which in each case was
| identical. This plan was passed with
! out q dissenting vote and accepted by
all the military representatives, the
premier said
Would Quit if Disapproved.
If the house Of commons repudiated
| the policy for which he was response
| bic, in which he believed the safety Of
| the country depended, Mr.. Lloyd
| George declared, he would quit office.
| His one regret would be that he had
| not greater strength and ability TO
place at the disposal of his country in
it's gravest hour.
The British commander, Field Mar
| shal Haig, was present at the session
| Of the supreme war council, Mr.. Lloyd
| George said He drew attention to two
weak points in the proposal, which
were thereupOn adjusted by the confer
ence General Robertson was present
when the decision was reported to the
war cabinet and did not object.
It was agreed, said Mr.. yd-George.
| that the permanent military adviser at
! Versailles should be a member Of the
| army council. 1t was part Of this ar
| rangement that the chief of the i'm
| perial staff was to remain the supreme
military adviser to the government.
Mr. LIoyd-GeOrge said the country
| was faced with terrible realities. He
begged the house to have done with
| all controversy, adding that the gov
! ernment was entitled 10 know wheth-
er the house and the country wished
it to proceed with the policy deliber-
! ately arrived at.
I Immediately Mr.. LlOyd-George con-
| cluded his speech former Premier As
quith arose and expressed the wish
| that the premiers address had been
| made a week ago.