GENERAL NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17967, 7 March 1917, Page 5

GENERAL NEWS

BISECTION 07 THE WAS SAXONEKA EXPEDITION DISCUSSED QUESTION 07 INDIA’S ASSISTANCE POLICY BEOABDENO THE 7UTUBE COMMENTS BY MS CHUBCHH.E. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON", March 5. Received March 6, 6 p.m. In the House of Commons Mr H. Page Croft urged the War Office to look ahead. It would be a tragedy if the offensive failed owing to the talk by men. Mr W. M. R. Pringle moved the reduction of the army vote by £IOOO, and urged the War Office to make the greatest possible use of existing figures. He described the Salonika expedition as wasteful, involving an unwarranted call on shipping. Mr Churchill said that the Salonika expedition was closely associated with the tonnage and man-power problems. We might have provided an army early in the war capable of securing decisive results in the Balkans, but when Bulgaria entered Germany obtained the route to Constantinople because it was Impossible for us to carry thither an army of sufficient size. It should have been recognised that the hour for successful intervention in the Balkans had passed. When the expedition history was told it would be found full of unsuspected tangles and complications, but it must be remembered that the expedition was still there, involving obligations of honour apart from military considerations, We need an increasing army in the Balkans, and simultaneously our tonnage was steadily decreasing. The problem was one of the greatest complexity and gravity. The Entente must consider M. Venizelos’s claims, which an honourable Government could not brush aside. Mr Churchill advocated secret sessions enabling frank discussions, on such matters as India’s assistance, coupled with tile extent to which India would yet be able to supplement Our man-power were it important. The policy of tlie India Office had the effect of largely shielding India from the sorrows of war. India’s enormous manhood had been practically untouched. Mr Churchill continued that if the Secretary for India a year ago had endeavoured to raise half the divisions which he (Mr Churchill) then advocated, ' it would have released probably 90,000 British in Egypt and Salonika for the West front and Mesopotamia. He complained of the inadequate use of African man-power, and pointed out that although great masses of British cavalry were maintained in France, only one squadron had found opportunity for tactical use in 1915.

Mr Churchill hoped the Government would not commit the armies to a vast policy of attrition unless absolutely certain they could pursue the policy to its effective conclusion. It would be foolish not to prepare for a 1918 campaign, and unless it was possible to stlke a decisive and final blow it would be better to patiently develop our superior resources until that was possible. We had no right to count on events turning immediately and decisively In our favour. We ought to use the whole world's man-power, of every race and clime, for fighting behind and in our lines. We must use the highest forms of machinery. It would be fatal to withdraw skilled men from factories for the trenches. We could make certain of 1918, and there was still time for that. UNDEK-SECSirrABY'S REPLY QUESTIONS CANNOT BE OPENLY DISCUSSES TTTfm POLICY INVOLVED LONDON, March 6. Received March C, 9.65 p.m. Mr J. I. Macpherson (War Office Un-der-Secretary') replying, said that the Salonika expedition involved high policy and he could not reply to questions which should not he raised except at a secret session. It was a strong case for a secret session that the Government was pressed to disclose matters of high policy. Mr Macpherson hoped there would be a large increase of men from parts of the Umpire.

MB BO NAB LAW’S ANSWER. SECRET SESSION NOT DESIRABLE. CANNOT ABANDON BALKANS TO GERMANS’. A COMMON POLICY NOW. ROUMANIAN ENTRY. LONDON, March 6. Received March 6, 9.55 p.m. Mr Bonar Law said it was impossible to disclose the Government’s intentions regarding Salonika, or to discuss the merits of the expedition. They must act in concert with the Allies. If the expedition was abandoned Greece would be thrown open, the whole of the Balkans would pass into the enemy's hands and our Balkan supporters would be placed at the mercy of the enemies. We know how ho would he treated. He was unwilling that there should be a secret session unless there was a strong demand. The Government could not frankly discuss Salonika, even in secret. He recognised himself the disadvantages of the expedition, and the Government was fully aware of all the circumstances. He was sorry he could not say more. There had been difficulties because those Allies who were particularly interested in Greece and the Balkans had not always taken the same view regarding policy, but now they bad a common policy, whose main object was to ensure that we should not run the former risk of being, attacked from behind, even should the Germans advance. He thought that was a great step. — (Cheers.) No threats had been used to induce Roumania to enter the war. Mr Bonar Law did not think that because Roumania's entry had proved so disastrous, and had resulted In the Roumanian suffering which the Entente would have done anything to prevent, that was any reason to condemn the Entente. MEETING OP WAR CABINET CANADIAN AND N.Z. DELEGATES ATTEND LONDON, March 6. Received March 6, 10.5 p.m. Canadian and New Zealand delegates will attend the War Cabinet to-morrow. AUSTRALASIAN SHIPPING TRADES CONTROL OF TONNAGE TAKEN OVER EXTENSION TO OTHER TRADES PROBABLE SYDNEY, March 6. Received March 6, 10.5 p.m. The Shipping Controller has notified shipowners engaged in the Australian and New Zealand trades, of his intention to take over the control of all tonnage engaged therein. \ It is understood that the step is being taken to ensure the most economical and advantageous use of all ships. The owners retain the management, and an Owners’ Committee will collaborate with the Controller in regard to the disposition of the ships. If the Controller transfers any vessels to employment with countries in the Near East, the United Kingdom Committee will advise as to the best means of re-ar-ranging the programme of vessels left in the Australian and New Zealand trade. The programme of homeward loading from Australasia should be placed in the hands of a Central Committee of agents, and would possibly be entrusted to the two committees now administering the programme regarding refrigerated tonage. Similar action respecting other trades was under consideration and would be put in operation as soon as possible.

Tlte cable news in this issue accredited to The Times has appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated is such news the editorial opinion of The Times.