CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1915, Page 5

CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

DISCUSSION IN THE LORDS. COUNTRY WANTS TO KNOW. ABOUT THE BALKANS CAMPAIGN. Received Oct, 27, 8.55 p.m. London, Oct. 26. In the House of Lords, Lord Loreburn asked whether the Government was determined to despatch' troops to Salonika with the approval of the highest naval and military advisers, and whether the Government would give assurance that full provision had been made for communications to the forces and supplies of men and material to the satisfaction of the naval and military advisers. He said he would not complain if the Govejnment felt that there should be some delay in answering questions, but the reasons were for the Government to give. They had not deprecated discussion in order to shield themselves from criticisms, but he believed they over-rated the harm which was done by Parliamentary discussion, and also under-rated the consequences in a democratic country if Parliamentary discussion were 3tifled and discouraged, for discussion merely transferred Parliament to the newspapers. No one expected the the Government to divulge all the strategical plans, but they might make a general statement.

We had witnessed the Dardanelles affair, and did not know whether it was commenced with or without the advice of the naval and military authorities. Was the Salonika adventure to he a repetition of the Dardanelles? He did not question the fact that the Government was genuinely anxious that the Balkans expedition should be successful, but the country would like an assurance that the enterprise had been carefully thought out beforehand. The greatest dangers any country could suffer from were unpreparedness and indecision. Lord Cromer said he felt certain that the centre of gravity of the war would be transferred for the time being from the West to the East, and he asked the Government to give a general indication as to how they intended to meet the situation.

Lord Cromer said a good deal of friction existed which could have been avoided if the Government had not thrown so impenetrable a veil over their opinions and plans of action. Lord Kitchener then had been singularly parsimonious in his utterances in the House of Lords. His statements had never contained much more than could be read in the daily papers. The country wanted something to show that the Government had a real grasp of the situation. Lord Cromer concluded by saying that I he dissociated himself from any attempt to upset the Government, but it was quite impossible for a Cabinet of twentytwo members to conduct the war efficaciously. A small stron« executive body was required, chosen without reference to party, from men representing the be3t talent of the country in the direction of official, political, naval, and j military persons versed in Eastern I affairs. Lord Cromer's speech deeply impressed the House.

LORD LANSDQWNE IN REPLY. A SERIOUS SITUATION. Lord Lansdowne, in replying, admitted that personally he was strongly of opinion that the efficiency of a Cabinet was apt to vary inversely to its numerical strength. Turning to ihe Salonika expedition, he could quite understand, that, in view of our commitments to France in Gallipoli and Egypt, it might seem distasteful to the House of Lords that the situation had been complicated by entering new entanglements in a new theatre of war. Serbia had made a direct appeal to the British Government for help, and wc had sent such troops as were available. It was a small force, because only a small force could be collected in lime. The French had despatched a force, which was now I apparently engaged with the Bulgarians. | These steps had to be taken with great promptitude, because promptitude was necessary at the moment, and they were taken after full and deliberate consultation with the Cabinet's military and naval advisers. We regarded thirteen thousand Britishers as a precursor of a larger force. Events were moving very rapidly in the Balkans, and two recent developments had profoundly affected the military and political situation.

The first was the attitude of the GreekGovernment; the second was the proareas of the campaign in Northern Ser- ' bia, which rendered it highly improbable j that the Serbians could withstand the Austro-German attacks for any great j length of time, seeing that Serbia had been stabbed in the back by Bulgaria. The French and British Governments realised that when further reinforcements reached the Eastern Mediterranean it would he necessary to take careful stock of the position. General Monro, who was due to arrive to-day, had been instructed to report as soon as possible on all aspects of the case. Lord Lansdowne combatted the impression that civilian politicians had a habit of devising great strategical plans and combinations, and imposing these on the Government as from professional advisers. Not in any Government wherewith he had been connected had it been possible for amateur strategists to impose snch plans. Lord Kitchener was present at every Cabinet meeting, and was party to all its decisions. It was almost grotesque to suppose that Lord Kitchener would allow himself to be defleeted from his course by pressure from ■his civilian colleagues. There were mixed problems which had to be considered, not from merely a naval and military point of view, but from broad moral and political grounds. He wished to enforce that. Whatever opportunities were given the naval and military advisers, the, ultimate responsibility rested on the Government. No Government could be. allowed to shelter itself behind the advice of its experts. In view of the pressure exerted on the various fronts against Germany it was natural that the Central Powers now look in a new direction to seek a satisfactory decision. The choice fell us it was obviously likely to fallto push_ through Bulgaria, threatening onr Gallipoli forces, and perhaps Egypt, to say nothing of the vaster aspirations which pevhnpn lay behind-

SERBIA'S GALLANTRY. GREECE'S OBLIGATIONS. Lord Lansdowne paid a tribute to Serbia's wonderful gallantry in struggling against a third invasion. Greece was bound to Serbia by geographical propinquities, common interests, and treaty obligations. Only through Greek territory cuild help possibly rcacli the Serbians, and the goodwill of Greece was obviously of the first importance. It was at M. Venezelos' instance that they undertook to provide a force to enable Greece to fulfil her treaty obligations. Wo had taken prompt steps to relieve Serbia. Lord Lansdowne assured the House that the Government was not likely to be led to precipitate action. Lord St. Davids said that if the Government had had their eyes open in the early stages of the war they must have known they could have secured communication with Serbia through Durazzo. Lord Middleton said the main cause of the want of confidence in the Government lay in the impossibility of conducting the war under the present system Cabinet had a meeting of the Defence Committee one day, the War Council on the following day, and the Dardanelles Committee on the next day, which implied a want of continuity. Lord Curzon said that there was a single committee directing its attention to the prosecution of the war. It was firstly called the Dardanelles Committee, but later it assumed the general control of the whole war. The question of a smaller Cabinet was under Mr. Asquith's consideration, and the Government were also considering a, railway from Durazzo towaVds Serbia. Lord Middleton urged that a small committee of the Cabinet be appointed to deal with the war, and nothing but the war. Lord Curzon said that the committee of the Cabinet was essentially a committee for war purposes, but the responsibilities of its decisions rested upon the whole Cabinet. Lord Loreburn, in concluding the debate, said the Government had not answered his question. He wanted the troops in the field to be assured that the Government was utilising the highest military advice in regard to an expedition in whicli they were risking their lives.

The House adjourned till Thursday. THE WAR IN PARLIAMENT. London, Oct. 20. Jlr Lloyd George, in the House of Commons, said that Mr Asquitli would shortly make a full statement as to the progress of the war.