New-York tribune., 1922-10-29
Lloyd George Is Assailed
Over His Victory Claims
Alleged sSCreat Services Rendered TO Country
During War Period Challenged by
Critics i'm Britain
By William L. McPherson

lister. guided Great Britain's
dcssinies through tho last two
2-6 years Of the war. Before dis-
s ,,.e,ng Asqaish he had besn sgucoes-
dyssy Minister Of Munitions and War
Secretary. In thsss posts he contrib
vted sealousiy 20 ths development Of
sha smpirs's military strength. His
raasgg.ng energy and impuisivs tsm-
s<yamsnt hstsd him to be the war
,.saeY Of democracy. He was a con-
ssn,nsts politician and an adrcit and
sxrnotssing orator. he knew how to
.,ndIs emotion and TO inflaac patriot
l.s.. he easily dominated in the Cabi-
i. councils and In Parliament. he
s,ns the British masses in mood to
,suads through. These great services
a.ks bis fame secure as a statesman
,y.o guided tho empire through some
arm nest dangerous crises.
May of the estimates Of the Prime
Minister'S career. made aimee his re-
tiremsnt, have shot wide Of the mark
they have rightly emphasized what ne
did In ths field OF national unifcation
md moral stimulation. In this field he
nay we'll claim recognition alongside
Clsmsnceau, although ho mover at
sained the Tigers implacahle hatred
of all things German. But an .nAusnce
on ths conduct OF the war on the pare
II military side and contribution to
Allied success In the hel6 have been
ascribed to him which che facts will
hardly substantiate. There Is . Lloyd
George legend In Great Britain, Just
as there ~ Hindenhurg legend in
Germany ard JcfYre legend In France.
Myths Of this sort take root In the
iallow soil Of controlled war publicity.
They are hard to kill Postwar re-
search is slow and its findings do not
greatly affect public which has turned
its attention sway from the details Of
tho war. The snap Judgments OF way
lime still lurk in the back Of mems
MINDS. Yet the truth will come Into It's
cwn. There Is already a school Of pro-
test In England against the censored
ysrdicts Of 1917 and 1918. A literature
has been growing mp which disputes
uvage,y the veracisy Of the Georgian
wend. II bluntly denies the efficiency
II his war leadership so far as is dealt
With war strategy and policy. Il aces
Ia his sntrusions into the military
sphere hindrance rather than o help
10 winning the war.
British Critics Challenge
Claims Made as Organizer
SONS Of Lloyd Georges own pss
claims as an organizer Of victory are
nov rudely challenged. even by Brit
lib critics. Was II his interven.
ION alone which furnished the British
umiss With the munitions they
neededs Was II due TO him that unity
Of Allied command on the Western
front, 80 long and 40 unwisely delayed,
vas finally achieved7 Did he give
Field Marshal Haig the support TO
which the latter was entitled? Can
the defeat Of St. Quentin be laid at
MS QOOT 10 Ho eutlLiC0 W pAy SASN~S
foor the victory offensive Of 1887
Lloyd Georges appointment in 1915
as Minister OF Munitions paved the way
for him to the premiership. Premier
Asquith had made the unfortunat"
statement early In that year that there
was no shortage Of munitions. Field
Marsh ell French and every officer at the
from. knew that there was pitiful
shortage. The commander-in-chief in
France and "The London Times" COM
binsd TO set forth the truth. Then q
Ministry Of Munitions was established.
With Lloyd George at its head in the
nls Of Miracle Man. When munitions
i! the sort most ueeded-h!gh explo-
live shslis--began to be produced
Lloyd George allowed the impression to
b conveyed that he had created them
sus Of nothing. Thus q legend was
launched which allowed him TO figure
later a. the one statesman indispensa-
bic 70 the prosecution OF the war.
What were the faetsf They are
stated by Major General Sir O. e. Call
we'll In his book. Experiences OF a
Dus-out." General Callwell. who had
left the service before the war, was
recalled to do staff duty under Kitch-
sner. In that and other capacities he
had wide experience in the War Of
ice. He says:
"At the time Of the Newcastle ora
ton (Asquith's) and for some months
subsequently, the work Of expansion on
aeolossal scale which the Master Cen
ual Of Ordnance General Won Donop)
sad undertaken was still, speaking gem
sially, rather on the footing Of the
aniiding Of which the foundations are
only beginning to be laid, even il the
sxcsvations have been completed and
tue debris hss been cleared away.
There was as yet comparatively little
to show. The results did not begin to
make themselves apparent until date
Then the Ministry Of Munitions had
already como into being some time.
That Department Of State gained tho
benefit. It's chief took the credit for
me work In connection with which 1t
aad for all practical purposes no re-
Feasibility beyond chat Of issuing
saas predecessors had arranged for,
Now az to unified command. The