From every part of the House of Commons criticism came
with regard to this last matter. In particular, mention must be made of the fine protest by Mr. Austen Chamberlain, who has perhaps never spoken with greater force, sincerity, and effect. The reasons which weighed with the House of Commons in accepting Mr. Lloyd George's explanations were, we imagine, that on the question of setting up the Versailles Council the Government alone must decide, and that another change of Government at this moment would make a bad impression abroad. We have shown elsewhere that the real issue between the Government and Sir William Robertson was whether there should or should not be a divided military control within the British Empire. The scheme, as such, to secure unity among the Allies by means of the Versailles Council is now universally accepted. Criticism can concern itself only with the military side of the Council. Here the French seem to have preserved their own internal unity, while Great Britain, on the pretext that Versailles is a long way from London, has sacrificed hers. In agreeing to that part of the scheme which affects the military ad-risers of our Government the House of Commons took a great responsibility.
