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

Of my ground. and instructed Lord
Kitchener to send for Sir John French.
to have him over here and TO get from
him a concise report and survey OF tho
then military situation and to make his
report to me before I spoke
Sir Jonn French came over.
He was seen by Lord Kitchener at the
war office and they discussed tho mat
ter. I have here, 1t is an interesting
historical document-at least 1t may
become so-the lette rim which Lord
Kitcheners own handwriting which he
wrote to me Immediately after the IN
terview with Sir John French II Is as
follows:
INV dear Prime Minister have had
a talk with French. He told me could
let YOU know that, with the present sup
ply Of ammunition he will have as much
as his troops will be able to use IN the
next forward movement" cloud cheerS'
This is dated April IA. just few days
before I went to Newcastle. / Will reao
II again. (Cheers) IT have had talk
with French He told me could let you
know--that is what ! wantcd. ! an
blamed for relying on his worn
Neyed in making assurance douoly SUI
with the present supply or alii"iu"t
tion--Cthat IS, the ammunition we nn1
been accumulating)-"he Will nave do
nn,cb as his troops will be able 10 use
in tho next forward movement
(Cheers).
(Cheers).
iii sav thls-that Lord Kitchener
IN , suhseouent conversation, before
vent 70 Newcastle. confirmed what Is
TO be found in that letter. therefore
felt. because here I had got what l
wanted. that I should be able TO speak
without giving encouragement 10 INC
eremy with regard 10 these oelicA'e
and dangerous operations which were
ahor,+ to be launched. / felt not ohIE
entitled. but bound, at Newcastle 10
sav what I did on that point. quote
INV arac4 words. Lord French says ne
rtad INV speech; I wonder If nc ola.
II he had read 1t with anything ike
decent care, he would not have gwen
q most misleading travesty or "haI
said. I said:
II saw a statement the other day that
the operations not only OF our own army
but Of our allies, were being crippled OF
at any rate hampered. by our lalIure u
provide the necessary ammunition. lheFe
Ia no truth in that statement
Was l not justified in making that
statement? Then / went on am stiil
quoting from my Newcastle speech
| then I went on to my main theme or the
extreme and perilCus urgency or the
situation as regarded the future. Ihat
J is the point ] was on, and may point
| out 10 passing that the very next nlGhl'
in his speech in the house OF commons,
| Mr.. Lloyd George said exactly the same
thing-namely, that up to that moment
the moment at which he and were
Speaking. tho real point Of danger una
difficulty was the future 1t was long
speech. summed up the case in these
| words:
There Is not a single naval or mill
| tary authority among US who. in view or
| the proximate and prospective require
| mcnts" (observe these words) does not
/ declare that a large and rapid increase
! in the output Of munitions has become
one Of the first necessities OF tn" state.
lord Kitchener says so, Lord flsher
| (who was then the first sea lord) l
I know would say so. and Sir John French
! has said so. This, then, IS what IN the
name Of your king and country we ask
you to do--to deliver the goods.
The Governments Fall.
That is the speech. reading whiCh-he
saws he did read it-causcd him to lose
ali hope Of receiving help from the gov
ernncnt as then constituted Qaughter),
and set him 70 work behind the back Of
his official chief TO secure, in concern
with outsiders, the overthrow of the
government
There was time in the deCadCnt days
Of the Roman empire when the Practorl-
ans as they were called. and sometimes
the armies in distant parts of the empire
mead "a change rho CrDDprOrS 1Iaugh-