NEWS OF THE WEEK
HE debate in the House of Commons on the war situation covered a wide ground, but the subject which dominated most the speeches was that of the composition of the Chiefs of Staff mince. A good deal also was said about the opening of a d front in the west, but there were few members who did condemn the attempts which have been made in some quarters force the hand of the Government by playing upon uninformed lic opinion. Mr. Attlee in his opening speech surveyed the non and anticipated the coming attick on the Prime Minister's ton as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. Sir Edward gg, as was expected, was the protagonist in the attack... He esitatingly took the line that it was not in the lower stages of planning bodies that the system was wrong ; the weak spot was the chairmanship of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, which ought be in the hands of a non-political Chief capable of infusing life o the Committee and giving professional advice to the Prime ister and the War Cabinet. Mr. Hore-Belisha with equal stency urged the separation of the military from the political ents in the war. Defenders of the Prime Minister were not 'rig, but it was clear that the debate was taking the form, firstly, expressions of dissatisfaction with the conduct of the war, and re criticism of the Prime Minister himself in taking too much nsibility in the shaping of strategy. It was a pity that Mr. urchin did not speak. The debate to a great extent turned upon excessive responsibilities which rest on him, and there were y who felt that on such an occasion it would have been well him to give a personal account of his stewardship. But there well have been sufficient reasons for his absence, and Sir ord Cripps in winding up made as good a defence as Mr.
ttirchill himself could have done of the existing Cabinet machinery.
Gs emphatic declaration about the prospect of a Continental offen- lre sent members home in a good humour.
