SIR W. ROBERTSON JIBS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 19, 22 July 1933, Page 13

SIR W. ROBERTSON JIBS

My proposal in regard to Sir William Robertson was shattered against tho rock of personal suspicions. He was already predisposed to imagine that I would welcome his absence from the War Office, and there were those ia the Cabinet who- were resolutely hostile to anything..! did .or suggested, who deliberately encouraged Robertson to refuse the proposed mission.

With this refusal, the proposed mission to Russia collapsed. Our chance of coming to a real understanding with our great Ally in the East was lost, 'until it was too late to save Russia from Its final collapse.

About the time that I became Secretary of State for War it was reported to me from France that there was a shortage of ammunition. Ou inquiry, I found that this was in no way due to failure on our part to produce it. In fact, our munition factories wero becoming choked up with completed output, because tho base depots in France were too congested to receive it.

As soon as I became Secretary of State for War in July, 1916, I sent

through Lord Derby, then my Undersecretary, a request to Sir Douglas Haig that ho should invite Sir Eric Geddes to go over and look into the matter of tho transport. But my suggestion was not favourably received. The day after I learnt this ■ I was going over myself to Trance to visit tho whole front, from Verdun, to Flanders. Sir Douglas Haig received me with great cordiality, and gavo mo tho usual sanguine estimate of the progress and prospects of the Somme' offensive. Casualties' wero omitted from the narration. When I approached him on tho subject of transport, I decided that it would be better not to discuss merits or details, but to ask him to see Sir Eric Geddes and afford him an opportunity for seeing the transport arrangements, and reporting to him on their condition. To this suggestion ho assented with alacrity, as it enabled him to get out of what might have been a disagreeable discussion with tho new Secretary of State for War, and I wired Sir Erie Geddes an invitation to pay a visit to G.H.Q., and inspect transport arrangements.