A controversy which has arisen out of a statement by
Mr. Churchill in his book Aftermath shows how difficult it is to arrive at historical truth. even when there is a mass of contemporary evidence. Mr. Churchill said that Mr. Lloyd George, because he was afraid of Lord Northcliffe, did not invite Mr. Asquith to be one of the British Peace Delegation in Paris. Mr. Lloyd George denies this. He says that he did ask Mr. Asquith to join the Peace Delegation as Lord Chancellor, but that Mi. Asquith refused the invitation. Next, Lady Oxford writes to say that what really happened was that Mr. Asquith voluntarily offered his services in Paris, and that Mr. Lloyd George, after having promised to consider the offer, never returned to the subject. According to this account Mr. Asquith was not even asked to become Lord Chancellor. One can well believe, in all the circum- stances, that Mr. Asquith would have refused to join Mr. Lloyd George's Government, though his self-abdica- tion was so great that he might have done even that in order to be useful. Anyhow it is a misfortune that he did not go to Paris, for his knowledge of international law would have been invaluable.
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