Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-06-08
NEWS review OF
THE PAST WEEK
Premier Lloyd George Again Is
Winner in Crisis Brought on
by General Maurice.
GIVEN VOTE or CONFIDENCE
German Attack South of Ypres Smash
ed, While Allies improve Their Po-
stons at Many Ponts-Investiga-
ton of American Aircraft Produc-
tion Collapse Started.
BY EDWARD W. PIcKARD.

BY EDWARD w. PIckARD.
Premier Lloyd George and his cabi-
net successfully weathered another
storm last week when the house of
commons, by vote of 293 to 106, re-
jected Herbert Asquith's motion pro-
viding for the appointment Of a spe-
cial committee to investigate charges
made against the premier by Maj. Gen.
Frederick B. Maurice. Having de-
clared that he would considered the
action of the commons as a test of
confidence, Mr.. Lloyd George would
have resigned and turned the conduct
OF the war over to Mr.. Asquith had the
latter been sustained. AS it is he has
won another great personal victory
largely by means of the statement he
made in the house-an ex parte state
ment, to be sure, but one that i'm
pressed his hearers with his evident
honesty and frankness.
The charges made by General Maui
rice, formerly director of military OPP
erGtions, were that the premier and
other officials had deceived the people
by false statements concerning the
army. The accusations were fully re-
futed by Lloyd George, who showed
that his statements were made on in
formation obtained from General Maui
rice's department. He protested Wig
orously against such distracting and
paralyzing controversies and implored
that there should be an end to snip
ing" He called Maurice's action q
Aagrant breach Of discipline. especial
ly pernicious In its effect on new
army ard not understandable to the al
lies of Great Britain.
There is no reason to question the
patriotism of General Maurice's mo-
tives in precipitating the crisis, but II
Is evident that he was made the too
of the political opponents OF the pre-
mler who hoped to ride into office or
the resulting storm. Presumably the
offending officer will be court mar
tailed.
Last week passed with only one I'm
portant infantry action on the wes'
front. but neither army has been Idle
The heavy artillery of the allies has
been continually hammering the Ger
man positions and especially devotint
itself to smashing the enemy's lines Of
communication and munltlon depot
and to hampering the bringing up oi
re-enforcements and supplies. In thi'
the aviators have given invaluable ait
and the work has been so well don'
that the renewal of the offensive wat
perforce delayed. Heavy and frequen
rains also handicapped the German
and they found great difficulty in NOV
ing their ponderous tanks and larges
guns across the devastated country
the roads being consistently broken VI
by shell fire and their repair made al
most impossible.
Meantime the allies took every op
pOrtunity to improve tnelT posiijoh
and in many local operations advances
their lines and strengthened their hoI'
on the commanding heights both II
picardy and IN Flanders. In thes
fights the Australians and Canadian
had a prominent part, the former be
tween the Ancre and the Somme an
the latter south of Arras, both contin
gents making considerable and yer
valuable gains. All along the line tn
British, French and Americans re
pulsed all the enemy raids unit
wednesday night. when, after heav
artillery preparation, the Germans al
tackled in the sector of Ypres, betwee
La Clytte and vOormezeele. 1t wa
their apparent intention to outfian
the important heights of Scherpeuber
and Mont Rouge from the northeas
md they succeeded in forcing the Brit