POLITICS AND WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16992, 20 October 1915, Page 6

POLITICS AND WAR.

There was hound to be a political controversy of some violence on the subject of the. Balkan position and wo suppose that the free discussion of the conduct of tho war is unavoidable, but it is difficult to imagine what good purpose can be served by the sort of discussion that is now in progress in the Mother Country. A section of the politicians is demanding information concerning the diplomatic failure at Sofia, another section wants an inquiry into the origin and conduct of tho .Dai-dnnellos campaign, and another is anxious to draw the Government as to th« Allied plans in Serbia, while, behind, these smaller controversies is raging the great argument on the conscription issue. There is certainly too much talk in the Mother Country nowadays, though there is plenty of work as well. It needs little imagination to see that the political position is rapidly becoming critical once more, not because of external attacks—though these are bitter and' persistent—but because tho National Cabinet has developed sharp internal" differences. The resignation of Sir Edward Carson is doubtless only a symptom of the maiu trouble. Such difficulties are not confined to Britain. Germany, for all her autocratic methods, has had innumerable political squabbles, though the conduct of her campaigns has suffered only in a minor degree'because it has been under direct military control. Russia, another autocracy, has had a drastic change of administration. France, again, had to meet a persistent attack on the Government by reorganising the Ministry of War and appointing under-secretaries to assist the Minister. But in all these countries the disturbing effect of the controversies has been minimised by the closo supervision of the newspapers. The controversies have not been allowed to got out of hand. Such an agitation as that led by "The'Times" .on; the subject of conscription would scarcely have been tolerated, for the sufficient reason that it threatens the disorganisation of the national effort. The attacks on Lord Kitchener, again, in connection with the shell question, would have boon impossible abroad. And there can be no question that the Continental method is the sounder and safer from tho military point of viow, whatever the democratic theorists may say. Obviously it does not do to have a war maraged by irresponsible journalists who cannot be called to account.

As for ftie developments that have ircuced the crisis in the Mother Conntry, wo may take it that a great deal of the criticism is based on ignorance of tho facfE. The Government cannot justify itself. by revealing the. wjiob truth. We are told, for instance, that there has been; a'.-lack-of co-ordination in the Allied strategy, but at least one important council-of-war was held io. France early in August, and it a French assertion is well grounded similar councils havo been held monthly. There may have been a failure to agree as to the Allied policy in the Balkans, but once that policy was defined in the light of developments the military authorities should have been, and doubtless were, allowed to say what should be the nature and magnitude of tho military assistance to be sent to Serbia. The Dardanelles campaign is quoted as a shooking example of political interference with iiio conduct of the war; but the fact that Britain is in the war at all was due to political and not to military considerations, 1 and if there "were sufficient political reas-ons for entering on Ih e Dardanelles campaign the military authorities were bound to do their utmost to carry it through. The British Ambassador lias declared that the attack was made at the urgent request of,' Russia. So : far it has failed, perhaps for lack of men and

munitions, perhaps through faulty strategy, but the failure is not proof that tlio campaign should not have been initiated. Sir lan Hamilton has been recalleU, possibly at his own request, but not until all the facts are revealed and a survey of tho war is possible from an historical standpoint will it be possible to assess the value of the campaign in Turkey during the post six months. No "outsider" in possession of only a part of tho truth can offer a judgment that is wort!) notice, and that is why the newspaper controversies current in the Mother Country are so emphatically to bo condemned.