MALICIOUS RUMORS

Evening Star, Issue 16335, 30 January 1917, Page 6

MALICIOUS RUMORS

l.omt DERBY'S STATE.MEXT. hold Darby made a bii.M slai-mem hi th d, H(niSo -barrls (,n 25th Xovcmber "»•“ unusual emphasis of usseili,,l, ran! vi-hamenvo of manner. TaW have hf. f n troilin about .os to til” oxi.-tciav of yricticn between the Army Council and ;%jr Itifi Bhii L-ud Derby (says i!k L-ndon 'Daily ’I I'lcgTapli ’) described (hem us absoInkdy '1 iio Annv Goun.-d—aud ho fm-I that ] !C spake with the tub auihority of Air D!oy;i (leorge— hud come!' to i-oa-iuiencc in Sir Douglas Haiith. anti be deficriheis Sir Douglas Haig as ComityuvJ.'r-in-Cliiof, rani Sir William Roberts, m as Chief of the. Imperial General StaiV, as “a combination which cannot bo <f)«;>,llivl much lefw improved." iliis was the, most important- declaration which Lord Derby nia.de, and it, was made in reply to a, question pip, p v Lend Peel, rqlat.inr' to the recent appointment ot Sir Kn ; Gcddes as Inspect or--Gr-ncral of Lompiunirations in ]?nirjco. have set the story going tint Mr Lloyd George insisted on this appointment against the evil! of Sir Dondas ‘llaß. because Sir Erie, had worked with irim In the Ministry 0 f Ahinitions. Lord Dmbv aave. a. most. categorical denial to the' whole story. As he explained, the facta a.re that -Mr LJeyd George sent. Sir Eric over to France to report, on. whether any improvements were possible in the iir.c= of communication. That was done with Sir Douglas Haig’s ltd! approval, and SbiLur si report r-o impressed tlie in-Oinof that- lie himself :i«kwl that Sir Tmio iTUilio he allowed irv eoine over aiid f‘firry out In? own refomin ri 7ici;iti r 'iii:. Ihus did Lord Derby dispose of the mischievous rum or that Mr Llovd George bad been unwarrantably interfering in France and ’thrustmg a. civilian into a milit-arv post. _ The laic In.speetor-General, Sir Frederick Clayton, is returning homo, but Lord Derby paid a. very high tribute to his capacity, and to tho arduous work ho has done iu the hist two years.