Lord Rosebery has, in a letter to a correspondent published
last Saturday, expressed his opinion on the War Commission Report and the situation created thereby. Leaving aside the question of the responsibility of the Government for our mis- carriages and misfortunes, Lord Rosebery observes that " what does concern us all is what is to be done. This is not a question of party: it is a question of safety. While the state of things exists which is recorded in the Report of Lord Elgin's Commission, we are not, outside our Fleet, in posses. sion of the minimum of national security. With that Report in their bands, foreign statesmen may commit the mistake of holding Great Britain cheap. This in itself is a danger, for it means an increased risk of war." As regards the immediate question of the Report, Lord Rosebery insists on our bearing three main points in mind. First, that whatever be the Departmental responsibility of a particular Minister, it in no way diminishes the collective responsibility of the Cabinet. Second, that the nation is not dissociated from liability in this matter. It gave an overwhelming vote of confidence to the Government which had mismanaged the war, and if it wishes to reverse that vote of confidence it must itself exert its power. Lastly, Lord Rosebery propounds his familiar remedy,—to make Lord Kitchener Dictator at the War Office. The manifesto is vigorously worded, and in part, at any rate, thoroughly justified. As Lord Rosebery puts it what con- cerns us all is what is to be done. What concerns the Liberal party is what Lord Rosebery is going to do.
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