The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-07-04

terl confess I never knew until
read Lord FrcnchS article that 1t was
TO him, the commander in chief OF our
armies in France. that we owed the
blessings Of coalition government
NaughtCr) But he says so. and 10
bring about this ben"ticcnt revolution IN
the conduct OF our affairs h" scnt over
for a versatile gentleman we'll known 10
many Of us. Captain Guest. Il+aughterI
Providence works. as you know. IN All
kinds Of mysterious ways. Naughter:)
The combination Of Lord French IN MS
headquarters in France and Captain
cucst manipulating the press and the
politicians here had the desired results,
and, as Lord French tells you. the gov
eminent fell.
Well, I do not know which Lord French
thinks was the chief william Of the whole
piece. Lord Kitchener or myself. AS II
happens we both retained our old offices
in the reconstructed government. and
while l should be the last-I shall al
ways be the last-to belittlc the splen-
did work which was subsequently done
by tho ministry Of munitions. to the
formation OF which I was a party. and
the principal party (checrs). and which
in the early days. when there was q
good deal of friction with the war Of
flee. ! strenuously backed with all my
authority, yet Lord French appears 10
have forgotten that during the whole Of
the lime he remained in command in
France, and for months Afterwards the
British army in France and in Flanders
liv0z and fought with many successes en-
tircly on the ammunitCN ordered. before
the ministry Of munitions came into cx-
tstenCe. by the old regime. CChcers.)
Lord Frcnch's ridiculous suggestion
IN, hoI
thing to do with his subsequent removal
from the command Is hardly worthy Of
serious notice. He remained in full
command for more than six months and
tho%Eh l heard strange rumorS. which
appear to have had no-c foundation in
fact than l then believed | never took
the pains TO inquire what part he had
played, or whether ne had played any
part in the newspaper campaign which
nc now claims to have inspired When
his retirement came. and take myself
tho full and sole responsibility for IT. IL
was for reasons that had no more to do
with the supply of shells than with the
next eclipse Of tho moon. (Chccrs)
A Letter From Lord French
l am afraid that l have kept you a
long time but before l part with Lord
french / have one word moro To say.
His Who'll" case is that he was Obliged
! 10 what he did because in IN" highest
interest of the Empire il was essential
to- get rid OF an apathctic Government.
Negligent OF lis duty to the Army, and
presided over by "A supinc and lcthargic
head. would refer Lord FrcnCh'S menu
DRY to this point. ! have here in my
| h3nd letter in his own writing address
"a To me from the Headquarters of the
British Army in France. and dated
observe the datc-May 20. 1915. | say
"Ohservc the date" bccauscwhc Coali.
ton Ministry. for which Lord French
| now claims sort Of patcrnal response
billty. was formed exactly three DAYS
earlier on May Il. 1t is n private letter
to which I should certainly not have re-
| f"rrcd had not Lord French. who him
confidential documents, compelled me by
his last article to do SO. What l am
about TO read is only an extract, but l
can assure you and the world that there
! is no qualifying context. AS far "a I
| am concerned the letter may BE- publish
! cd in cNtcnSo tomorrow. The letter
reads: My dear Prime Ministcr,-For
two days l have been hositating TO add
an iota to tho troubles and amxietics
! CT was forming the Coalition Govern
mcnt. Mr.. Asquith intcrpolatcd. amid
| laughter.l You have. however. shown
me SO much true. generous kindness
| throughout this trying campaign that l
| venture at this critical juncture to con-
vcy to you what is in my Utmost
! thoughts. l am sure in the whole his
| tory of war no General in the field has
over been helped in a difficult task by
the head of his Government as l have
| been supported and strengthened by
| by your unfailinG sympathy and cncour-
aEemcnt." cloud and prolonged cheers. }
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