31 MAY 1919, Page 3

In another matter he rims counter to public Information. He

Hays that when he read Mr. Asquith's Newcastle speech of 1915 In another matter he rims counter to public Information. He Hays that when he read Mr. Asquith's Newcastle speech of 1915

" lost any hope that he had entertained of receiving help from the Government as it was then constituted." He explains this loss of hope by attributing to Mr. Asquith the statement that " the Army had all the munitions it required." But all readers of the papers during the past few days, not to mention those who have an accurate recollection of what Mr. Asquith really said in 1915, know perfectly well that Mr. Asquith never used the words Lord French attributes to him. Mr. Asquith went to Newcastle in April, 1915, for the purpose of stirring up the munition workers. He knew that the troops at the front were in a very tight place, and that the one hope was to obtain more munitions and guns, and to obtain them more quickly. The first part of the speech was a statement, made on the strength of Lord Kitehener's assurances, that the Army had not hitherto suffered from the shortage ; and the second part of the speech was a strong appeal to the workers to deliver the goods.