MEETING WHICH LAPSED

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 21, 25 July 1933, Page 9

MEETING WHICH LAPSED

Eventually, after much, consultation, L laid certain proposals before the Prime Minister, on December 1, the chief being:— 1. That the "War Committee consist of three members —two of whom must be the First Lord of tho Admiralty and the Secretary of Stato for AVar, who should have in their • offices deputies capable of attending to and deciding all departmental business, and a third Minister without portfolio. One of tho throe to be chairman. 2. That tho War Committee- shall have full powers, subject to the supremo control of tho -Prime Minister, to direct all questions connected with the war. The reply received on December 2 was entirely unsatisfactory, for it would have, effected no improvement in tho position as it stood.' The Prime Minister was to preside over the Committee, and any Ministers dissatisfied with any of its decisions were to be entitled to appeal to the Cabinet before steps wore taken to carry them out. There was also a proposal for setting up a second Cabinet and Committee which should deal with certain aspects of war activity. I .immediately wrote to Mr. Bonar Law:— "The life of the country depends on resolute"action by you now."

On Saturday and Sunday Mr. Bonar Law was entangled in a series of clumsy manoeuvres in which his Conservative ■colleagues were engaged, and I could make- no further progress until Mr. Bonar Law knew exactly where- he stood in reference to them. However, on Sunday afternoon I was asked by the Prime Minister's secretary—Sir Maurico Bonham-Carter —to come up from tlio country to talk things over with his chief, who was returning from Walmer Castle "specially with that object. At the ensuing interview Mr. Asquith and I discussed the wliole situation in the friendliest spirit, and ultimately came to a complete understanding. -. I met Mr. Bonar Law on my way out. The Prime Minister and I were to meet on Monday to discuss the personnel of the now Committee. On that question I anticipated no insuperable difficulty. The Monday meeting never came off, and I was never privileged to meet Mr. Asciuith as, Prime Minister again. In tho Monday morning papers there appeared the following announcement:— "The Prime Minister, with a view to the most active prosecution of the war., has decided to advise his Majesty the King to consent to a reconstruction of the Government."