SECRETS OF THE WAR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 18 December 1925, Page 10

SECRETS OF THE WAR.

DRAMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. New light is thrown on many of tho critical phases of the war in tho life ot the late Sir \V. Robertson Nicoll, tho great Nonconformist ! leader and editor of the "British | Weekly.” Eloquent tribute is paid repeatedly ;to the sagacity, foresight, and tiro- ’ less energy of Mr Lloyd George, i Editor for over 30 years of the i “British "Weekly,” the late Sir Wiu. .'Robertson Nicoll was the intellectual ! leader of Nonconformity. ; In that capacity, as also as preacher, scholar, author, and critic, he was the chief exponent and most eifective advocate of tho thought and ideals or the Free Churches, and it was under bis leadership that the ranks of Nonconformity were always rallied to the support of great humanitarian causes (says the English reviewer). His biography has been written by Mr T. H. Dariow, under tho title of "William Robertson Nicoll, Life and Letters.” Nicoll was a son of the manse in a remote Scottish village; he grew up to minister in tho “Free Kirk,” and ho died in its communion. Failure of health compelled his resignation of active ministry, and lie had to open up for himself a new career in jjKTnalism and literature.

Looking back many years later at his change of vocation, lie wrote:. ‘T had never contemplated a literary career. I am not in a position to say whether or not I chose wisely in taking up journalism. The truth is I had no choice at all. A minister thrown out of work by a failure of health is placed in a position of the greatest difficulty. Practically the only tiling open Fo him is literary work.” Whatever misgivings Nicoll may have had. the wonderful story of Ills career in his new calling is clear proof that there was no need for them. "CLAUDIUS CLEAR.” 1 Though he was already 35 years of age when he came to London, and that as an amateur Mrom Scotland, lie succeeded almost at one stroke in making for himself a name that was individual and conspicuous. His medium was the "British Weekly,” to which Nicoll, as its editor, and Nicoll as “Claudius Clear,” gave the individuality and independence, the courage and inspiration that made it such a great religious newspaper., “In the British Weekly,” says his biographer, "Nicoll never ceased preaching to a great and listening audience until he died.” The knighthood conferred upon him in 1909 was a recognition of his political leadership and of his advocacy of social betterment as well as his literary achievements. Perhaps tho most interesting chapter is that devoted to the period covered by th*> war. That war, in Sir William’s view, was a righteous and necessary war, and from the beginning to the end he occupied himself mainly in rallying Noneomfornrists to their country’s call. "By means of his friendship with, paiiticians in high places,” says his biographer, "he often had access to uncensored facts.” This is amply substantiated by quotations from letters. In October, 1915, when there was something of a Cabinet crisis, Sir William wrote to one of his many

correspondents: . "No one has more angrily repudiated the idea of taking Asquith’s place than Lloyd George himself. ThO' charge lias been brought against him frequently by his enemies in tho Cabinet, and has excited his warmest indignation. . . . "What he has thought from tfiel beginning almost is that the war is not carried on with foresight and with push. . . . The difficulty Lloyd George had in getting proper powers in the matter of munitions and the opposition offered to him by Kitchener, were incredible, and tho only thing that gave him the victory was that he distinctly declined to take office, except under certain conditions. Office is no temptation to him, except that he jnay .serve his country,- and, if he is not wanted, lie will gladly retire. .... "You say that I- should warn Lloyd George tliat the Nonconformists will ■not tolerate division. What does that mean? Does it mean that Nonconformists will not tolerate his leaving the Government? What docs he care, whether they tolerate him or not? Does it mean that lie- is not to express his ’ own opinion on the conduct -of the war and do his best in pyivato .to get that opinion carried oiit?' r ,Surely you cannot mean this? "Lloyd George is the very last man to Aho Til I would address a warning. . ‘-’He has been, not only in my (uiinion, but to my knowledge, infinitely the most useful member of the Government since the war began. "There arc plenty of warnings that ; might bo addressed to- Cabinet Ministers, but none that I know to him.” FATEFUL INTERVIEW. Later in the same month Sir William Nicoll was invited to a luncheon party —with Mr Lloyd Geoi'ge and Lord Reading, then Lord Chief Justice, as fellow-guests. In a private letter he described this as “the most tremendous and fateful inteiwiew of my life.” Mr Lloyd George told Isis friends that he wished them to hear tho reasons which were moving liim to resign his post as Minister of Munitions. He spoke for nearly an hour, piling up one fact above another to show that Kitchener and the "War Office had made every mistake conceivable, had cleared out all the able men, and had got us into such a case that we may well lose.

Asquith, Balfour, Grey profcfi.s the greatest contempt ior K., but they give in because they think lie has popular opinion on Ins side. Kitchener, who has lost the munitions and the recruiting, is now moro- than ever dominant in what is left. ITALY “COAXED BACK.” Describing this interview tiio sam 1 .: evening, Nicoll said : The air was heavy with late Outside, tlm fog was creeping up, and m the lnni-gloom one comd see L.G.’s strained, tense face. I wondered as i listened whetner we were going to wm tiie war.” Something, however, as all knew later, was done —the \\ ar Council oi the Cabinet was constituted and a btrong General Stall set up. Writing to a friend in March, 1917, Sir William said : ' There is not the slightest doubt that L.G. has put a great deal more energy into everything, anti that we are in a much better condition than we were a year ago— Sir Josepn Maclay says that, when lie found what the Bnliour-J aeksou regime had ' dune (at the Admiralty), lie sat down and wept. Tney seem to have done, nothing, or to iniye done everything badly. In Juno of the same year ■ Nicoll wrote :

Italy very nearly slipped out, but L.G.'was able to coax tuem back In October, 1918, when the tide of war had turned, Sir William Nicoll spent a day in a country house, where fellow guests included Lord .Heading and Mr Ualter, the U.S. Secretary for War. Here lie was told, apparently by Lord Reading—• and it is now given for the first time to the public—“the story of the additional American troops”--the troops who arrived on the battlefields of Eraneo at the moment when the Allies were most hard pressed. HOUR" AND THE MAN The story is contained in a letter dated October 29. .19IS. One day last spring L.G. got a very gloomy telegram (at Downing Street,) about the situation in France. He did not know what to do, but he says that when ho is preplexed the best tiling for him is to go out and walk and think out tilings. So he went into the park, and decided to send an urgent telegram to Wilson. The terms of the telegram (despatched on March 27) wore that there was imperative need lor strong American reinforcements to be sent immediatcJ yWilson’s reply was: “1 will do my damndest. A hundred and thirty thousand a month, and as many more as you can ship.” Tiie next thing was to get Sir Joseph -Maclay (now Lord 'Maclay), Shipping Controller from 1916 to 1921. Of him L.G. has the highest opinion. He asked Mr Joseph how many troops he could ship. 'Maclay asked him to give him 24 hours. At tho end of the 24 hours he reported that wo might get 600,000 American soldiers over each month. L.G. thinks that Maclay for this deserves to be called one of the saviours of his country. Wo are all, I think, impressed by the fact that L.G. had apparently boon the only man to act

•in the emergency, and that ho had consulted nobody. “Nicoll,” states his biographer, “always steadfastly maintained that no other man did so much to win the war as Mr Lloyd George. Many other distinguished people figure in this fascinating volume. In the first fortnight of the war Nicoll brought his wife the following story: “At a Cabinet meeting the other day one man got up and said. ‘lf the Government goes in I shall retire.’ Another one got up and said, ‘lf the Government keens out I shall retire.’ Asquith calmly said ‘Gentlemen, when you have j-.1l retired I shall carry on the Government alone.’ ” Here is a letter, dated February, 1913, written by Sir William in liis capacity as a publisher: A. J. Balfour has civen me his new ■ book to publish i Ho actually refused the terms I. offered, on the ground that they were too high! This has happened to me only once before in a long experience. LORD FISHER ON NELSON There are, too, some very characteristic stories of Lord Fisher, with whom Sir William came iuto friendly and characteristic intercourse during the war. In a letter written to Sir William in 1919, and beginning “My beloved friend,” Lord Fisher confided: I’m thinking of bursting out on Nelson. No one has adequately depicted his tenderness, he was three parts a woman! He never flogged a man. (My first captain flogged every mail in the ship. Savages then ruled us!) But Nelson has never been portrayed—dying a jumper because instead of chasing dollars he was always chasing the enemy! His one care: the health of his sailors! Getting onions and oranges to prevent scurvy amongst them,, and so on, and so on. It is delightful to discover that in writing to this great Nonconformist, divine Lord Fisher signed his letters in his characteristically irreverent style, the customary phrases being “Yours till hell freezes,” or “Yours till the angels smile on us,” or “Yours till a cinder.”