The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-05-10
Asquith's Notion Asking for
Investigation Is Voted
Down 293 to LOG
PREMIER DEPLORES
NEW CONTROVERSIES
Says They Are Distracting and Paralyz-
ing-Should Attend to Things That
Need to Be Done Instead Of Fighting
Over the Past

Need to Be Done Instead Of Fighting
Over the Past.
LONDON, May l0-Former- Premier
Asquith S motion for the appointment
of select committee to investigate the
charges made by Gen. Maurice was re-
jected in the house of commons last
night by a vote Of 293 to l06.
In the course of the debate Mr.. Lloyd
George said that if the motion was car
ried Mr.. Asquith would again be re-
sponsible for the conduct of the war
In conclusion the Premier said:
Il wonder if it is worth while 70
make another appeal to all sections of
the country. These controversies are
dlstracting, paralyzing, rending. 1t is
difficult enough for any ministers to do
their work fighting this war. We had
months of controversy over unity of
command This is really sort Of rem
nant of that controversy. National
unity is threatened; the unity of the
army is threatened.
We have been occupied in hunting
up records, minutes. letters, inter.
views, raking up what happened over
whole twelvemonths in the war cab
met. And this at such q moment
4 have just returned from France
where the generals werr telling NE
the Germans We're silently preparing
perhaps for the biggest blow of the war
These things are happening now. They
are asking me for certain help. / have
brought home a list of things they wan,
done and ! wanted to attend to them
81 really beg for our common coun.
try, the fate of which is in the bal
ance now and in the next few weeks
| beg and implore that there should be-
an end to this sniping"
In moving his motion in the house
| OF commons this afternoon for the an.
polntment OF select committee to in.
Vestlgate the charges made by Gen
Maurice, former Premier Asquith said
he thought 1T was not the business OF
parliament 20 "eenstantlv inaiirea int
the conduct of successive phases Of tn,
war. The house Of commons, he added
had more than enough OF such inquiries
already.
-h-Fiu4tii dcilltti lHdi ms motion
| respecting the Maurice affair was de
signed to obtain a vote of censure OF
the government, saying it was absurd
to describe It as such. Should he find
1t his duty to censure the government
he sand, he hoped that he would have
the courage to do so in direct and IN.
equivocal form.
Mr.. Asquith said that when he put
down his motion he thought it would
be accepted by the government. He had
never yet given an adverse vote on any
proposal made by the government. He
had endeavored to help the government
IN the prosecution of the war and in
defining its great purposes and the
peace for which the allies were strug-
CLING. He said neither he nor his col
leagues had been concerned in the com
position or publication of Gen. Maur.
ice S letter
The former premier said he knew
many OF his friends had thought he
had been faint hearted in this matter
and that there were persons other than
ms friends who thought of him as be-
ing devoured by Impotence to resume
office.
i am quite content, - he added, "to
leave judgment of that kind to the
house and my fellow-eountrymen. y