Mr. Chamberlain, addressing the National Union of Con- servative Associations
at the fourteenth annual banquet held in London on Friday, June 29th, made a stirring Unionist speech, and incidentally introduced a strong and generous defence of Lord Lansdowne's administration of the War Office, praising his "magnificent reserve of patience and devotion to duty." He did not create the organisation of the Army, he inherited it. One cannot help being touched by the loyal and plucky way in which Mr. Chamberlain stood forth to defend the Secretary of State for War It shows how utterly unjust are the attacks made upon Mr Chamberlain as designing, unchivalrous, and self-seeking Such men do not defend indefensible positions in order tc stand by a, comrade. At the same time, we cannot but note that Mr. Chamberlain's apology is quite beside the mark. It absolutely misses the whole point of complaint, which is that Lord Lansdowne, when four years ago he took over the War Office, did not insist on looking his responsibilities fall in the face, and either resign or insist upon our military system being put on a sound basis. That is asking for administrative heroism, no doubt, but unless we ask for it, at least in the Army and Navy, we shall end in a Sedan.
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