Evening star., 1918-02-20
LLOYD GEORGE ENDS
CRISIS IN ENGLAND
Explains Purposes Of Allied
Council and Resignation of
Gen. Robertson.
TRIBUTE TO AMERICANS
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, February 20. - Premier
Lloyd George and his government have
surmounted another "crisis" and the
parliamentary waters at Westminster
appear to run smoothly once more. after
. weeks turmoil. stirred UP by the re-
tirement of Gen. Robertson. chief of
the imperial general staf.
In the house of commons yesterday
the premier explained and defended the
recent reorganization Of the Versailles
council with the added powers given
to it and his dealings with the famous
British chief of staff. There was no
proposal for a vote of want of conf
dence, but H. H. Asquith, the former
premier expressed regret that the ex-
plantations had not been given a week
ago, when the premier declared he could
not go into the subject without giving
information to the enemy. Mr.. Asquith
supported the right of parliamentary
criticism in such matters.
Speech Guarded Recital.
The occasion was not a stirring one,
as have been several other appearances
of the Welsh premier before the house
when his administration has been under
attack. His speech was a detailed but
guarded recital of the proposals by
which the four powers at Versailles
had arrived at the principles of their
latest form of cooperation. There was
no oratorical passages, except few
sentences at the close when Premier
Lloyd George appealed to the country
to get together in the face of common
danger.
The plan finally agreed upon by the
council. he said. was due largely to
the strong logical representations which
the American delegates had submitted
In the form of a memorandum, 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.
Robertson and expressed the regret of
the government that it had been unable
to induce him to take a position in
which his abilities would be most use
ful. He declared that their personal re-
iations always had been cordial.
Country Deeply Concerned.
Mr.. Asquith asserted the country re-
garded with deep concern the recent
enforced retirement of the governments
chief naval and military advisers, Ad-
miral Jellicoe and Gen. Robertson.
The public and their own professions
had the utmost confidence in these men.
Mr.. Asquith added that the country had
noted that both retirements were pre-
ceded by a hostile press campaign. The
public questioned whether these losses
were compensated by the retention of
the Earl of Derby in the war ministry
and the appointment as director of for
eign press propaganda-referrin to
Viscount Northcliffe, although he did
not mention his name-one whose
newspaper had conducted the press
campaign.
There was little afercation between
the two premiers over the question of
Cen Robertson's failure to approve the
nj e.. 70 :,
said he did not quarrel in the least with
the decisions of the Versailles council
in respect to its functions. He took the
view that the question at issue was a
view that the military representative
at Versailles should be representative
of the chief of the general stan.
Repository Of Information.
It was felt. Premier Lloyd George
said in his speech. that the new execu-
tive body at Versailles must know, not
only about their own armies and their
. own fronts. but also about all condi-
tions on all fronts and in all armies and
in all nations. Versailles had become
the repository of information of all
fronts. all armies, all nationalities, all
stats and all foreign offices and that
F., Information was being co-ordinated by
very able STATS. 1t constituted infor-
nation which no single war office DOS
eessed.
The premier declared he was anxious
mat the Versailles arrangements be
worked on whole-heartedly by military
authorities here and in France He had
had talk with Field Marshal Haie
who said he was prepared to work un-
der them.
Powers Of Military Adviser.
The arrangements were that the
British permanent military adviser al
the Versailles council should become
member of the army council; that
ne shouId be in constant comnunica-
ton with the chief of the imperial
general staf. and that he should be
absolutely free and unfettered in the
advice he gives as member Of the
Doard OF military representatives at
versailles He was to have the powers
necessary to enable him to fulfiIl the
duties imposed upon him by recent
Versailles decisions
The chief of the general staff was to
hold ONCE under the same conditions
and with the same powers as nreyious
chiefs of staff, and was TO remain the
supreme military adviser to the gov
eminent.
We were under the impression. .
the premier said. that all dif6culties
constitutional and technical, definiteIv
hao been oercome by this document
which had been shown to Field Mar
snai Haig. Cen Robertson. unfortu-
na.eiy, vas away at the time. other
the conference. Being under the inn
preston that all difficulties had been
removed, and that Versailles had be-
come more important as the center.
the government offered the position to
Cen Robertson Only after this oc-
Cured l became aware that Gen Rob-
lnson was not willing to acquiesce in
the system and that he took objection
not on technical and constitutions
grounds. but on military grounds, to
the system which the Versailles council
mad decided unanimously to adopt"
Efficiency Not Impaired.
The premier. in praising Cen Robert
son, said they had parted without al