OCR Text |
Show PREMIER ASQUITH CLEAR6 MYSTERY London, April,' 1. The first at of Premier Asqulth in his new capacity as secretary of state for war was to clear up tho mystery surrounding the Instructions given by the war office to Gen. Sir Arthur Paget, commander In chief of Ireland. Sir Arthur was summoned to London Lon-don to give his chief a personal account ac-count of the orders ho had received and Issued, and as a result of tho con ference Reginald McKenna, the home secretary, who is acting as leader of the house, was able to Inform the commons today that: "Tho only question Gen. Paget put or intended to put to the commanding command-ing officers In Ireland was whether they wero ready to put their duty bo-foro bo-foro any other considerations. It was nqj, his intentions that this or any such question should be put by tho I general officers to their subordinates. I "Gen. Paget informod the general ( officers of tho promise given by the secretary of war o officors whoso homes wero in Ulste r to permit them to withdraw temporarily from their reglnients In tho event ot operations becoming necessary In Ulster and he requested the general officers to find out immediately the number of officers offic-ers who would withdraw on this Recount. Re-count. Tlie Irish commnnaer-In-ehlef waa asked if any offioer who eould not c'lalm this exemption woald he allowed al-lowed to resign and replied tkat the result of any refusal to do UUlr dntf could only mean their dismissal frgJa the army. |