Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-02-22
LI.L.OYD-GEORGE'S
GOVERNMENT is
AGAIN SUPREM|E:

London, Feb. 10, Tuesday-Premier
Loyd-GeOrge and his government
have surmounted another crisis and
the parliamentary waters appear to
run smoothly once more after
weeks turmoil, stirred up by the re-
tirement of Gen. Robertson, chief of
the imperial general staff.
In the House of Commons today 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 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 par
liamentary criticism in such matters.
The occasion was not as stirring 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
in Versailles had arrived at the prin-
ciples of their latest form of cooper
alton. There were no oratorical pass
ages except a few sentences at the
close, when Premier Lloyd-George
appealed to the country to get to-
gether in the face of a common dan
ger.
The plan finally agreed on by the
council, he said was due largely to
the strong logical representations
which the American delegates had
submitted in the form of a memoran-
dunn, and the premier several times
reverted to the influence that Ameri-
can policy had exercised on the con-
ference.
He paid warm tribute to Gen. Rob
ertson 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
useful. He declared that their per-
sonal relations always had been cor
dial.
Mr.. Asquith asserted the country re-
garded with deep concern the recent
enforced retirement of the govern
ment's chief naval and military advis-
ers, Admiral Jellicoe and Gen. Rob
ertson. The public and their own
professions had the utmost confidence
in these men. Mr.. Asquith added that
the country had noted that both re-
| tirements were preceded by a hostile
press campaign. The public question
| ed whether these losses were. COM
| pensated by the retention of the Earl
| of Derby in the war ministry and the
| appointment as director of foreign
| press propa Misunderstanding to Wis
count Northcliffe, although he did not
mention his name-one whose news
papers had conducted the press cam
paign.
| There was a little alteration be-
tween the two premiers over the ques-
ton of Gen. Robertson's failure to
approve the Versailles plan. Finally
Mr.. Asquith said he did not quarrel in
| the least with the decision of the Yer
sailles council in respect to its func-
| tons. He took the view that the
question at issue was a domestic mat
ter and supported the view that the
military representative in Versailles
| S4lOuld NC d 1Spl VI IAAO S1i4St
| of the general staff.
A majority of the morning papers
accept the statement in the house of
| commons yesterday by Premier Lloyd
| George as a satisfactory explanation
and entirely approve the Versailles
agreement and consider the whole in
| cident Strengthened out Hostile
newspapers continue to accept the
situation. They express the opinion
that no government crisis is likely to
arise at present, although they be-
Heve the government has been weak
| ened by recent events
Some of the papers that accept
readily enough the premier's state
ment and commend it, nevertheless
endorse the regret expressed by for
mer Premier Asquith that the pre-
mier had not spoken with equal clear
ness a week earlier Several support
the appeal of Austen Chamberlain
that the government sever its connec-
ton with the press