ASQUITH'S CHANGED TONE

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

ASQUITH'S CHANGED TONE

Some time in the course of the morning I received a letter from tho Prime Minister in which he said: — "Unless tho impression is at once corrected^ that I am being relegated to the position of an irresponsible spectator of the war, I cannot go on. "The suggested arrangement was to the following effect: The Prime Minister to have supromc and effective control of war policy. "Tho agenda of the.War Committee will bo submitted to him; its chairman will report to him daily; ho can direct -it to consider particular topics or. proposals; and all its' conclusions will be subject to his approval or veto. Ho can, of course, at his own discretion attend meetings of the Committed," When I read that letter I felt the Prime Minister had completely changed his tono. There was none of the cordiality and friendliness which had characterised our Sunday conversation. I' discovered that during (lie whole of that day a number of my colleagues had been actively engaged in bringing pressure to bear upon the Prime Minister to throw over tho agreement lie had'entered into with mo on the Sunday. _ Mr. MeKciuia had been specially active in stimulating and conducting this

1 disruptive operation: He, more than any man, was responsible for the fall of his chief. ' i Ho possessed many of the gifts that make a good administrator in. times ■ that do not call specially for imagination, Ureadth of vision, or human mii sight, ' ■ -116 knew the details of his job as ■ Chancellor, ho was a competent arithmetician, a ready reckoner. Mr. Balfour once called him an adroit accountant. He was, in fact, a master of finance in ; Winkers. The Prime Minister was engaged throughout, the whole o& Monday in a , series of interviews with all my colleagues (Liberal and Conservative) who were hostile to the new Committee. Ho e.ven summoned a formal meeting .of all the Liberal members of the Cabinet to ■ discuss the situation. It was to take place at the hour fixed for my interview. ■ Mr. Arthur Henderson was also invited to attend. I received no invitation, al--1 though I was still a member of the Cabinet, and had done nothing to forfeit • my right to bo summoned, to a confer- ■ eiiee; of the Liberal section. My lasf . act had been to agree with tho Prime Minister on a vital question of policy. ' (To bo Continued.) 1 : i ! i , , ■ . _ -