MA R GO T ASQU ITH AN AU TO BIO GRA P H Y

VO L U ME S TH REE AND FO U R

- W ITH TW E NTY TH R E E IL L U STRATIO N S A ND N U M ER O U S RE P RODU CTIO NS O F

L ETTER S A ND DRAW INGS

P BIBE SCO W IFE OF TH M I RINCESS , E RU AN AN MINISTER AT W ASHINGTON MAR GO T ASQUITH AN AUTo gLQG RAP HY

VOL UME FOU R

NEW YORK

GEORGE H s DORAN COMPANY 937886A

RI H COP Y G T, 1 922 ,

BY GEORGE H . DORAN COMP ANY

MARGO ASQUITH Z AU N BIOGRAP HY VOL U ME FOUR . I T AN ,

f P RINTED IN THE U NITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS OF VOL UME FOUR

CH AP TER I P GE — A E VE Q R EMP I W AR OF THE GREAT WAR AS UITH WA NS RE OF , J 29 1914—V TO M EM B —K ULY , ISIT THE GER AN ASSY ITCHENER M IM— D 4 AS ARGOT KNE W H WAR ECLARED AUG . CH AP TER II — SCENES IN THE H OUSE OF COMM O NS GR AVE NE W S FROM FR ANCE — KITCHENER THE A U TOC R A P O RDE R S TO SIR JOHN FR ENCH — V ISIT To BELGIAN FRONT CH AP TER III

—~ - INFLUENCE OF THE P RESS MARGOT SHUNNED AS P R O GERMAN — THE COALITION ; LLO YD GEORG E AND SH ELLS DUP LICITY OF — SIR JOHN FRENCH P ORTRAI T OF LORD READING CH AP TER IV — — CABINET INTRI GUES P RESSURE ON THE P RE MIE R ASQUITH R E — SIGNS ; LLOYD GEORGE SUCCEEDS H IM EP ISODE AT A TEA P ARTY ; HARSH TREATMENT OF ALIENS CH AP TER V — ’ — GERMAN P EACE OVERTU RES LORD LANSDOW NE S LE TTER THE — — MAURICE LE TTER FOCH AS GENERALISSIM O H OUSE OF COM MONS DE BATE ON M AUR ICE CHARGE CH AP TER V I — ARMISTICE D AY IN LO NDON SC ENE AT BUCK INGHAM P ALACE ’ ST P —P P D —T AND . AUL S ORTRAIT OF RESI ENT WILSON HE KHA KI ELECTIONS AND DEFEAT OF THE LIBERALS EP I LOGU E AFTERMATH OF THE WAR IND E! COMP LE TE INDE ! OF V OLUMES ONE To FOUR IN CLUSIVE

IL L USTRATIONS OF VOL UME FOUR

P R C S BIBE SCO W I U M IA MIN I ER IN ES , FE OF THE R AN N ST INGTON

V ISCOUNT G'RE Y OF FALLODO N M L IT M . ETTER To RS . ASQU H FROM R JOHN REDMOND

TH E RIGHT HONOURABLE WINSTON CH URCHILL

LE TO M . Q M L K C E 19 U G TTER RS AS UITH FRO ORD IT HEN R, A UST, 1914

L AS I’I‘H L 6 P M B 909 TO MRS . QU M O 1 ETTER FRO RD FISHER, SE TE ER,

L TT To P IM M M L K 14 P 1915 E ER R E INISTER FRO ORD ITCHENER, A RIL,

L ORD MORL E Y .

L To M S U I M VI C U M L 9 G 1914 . Q A ETTER RS A TH FRO S O NT OR EY, U UST,

LORD READ ING

T MRS . ASQUI H

P M IR . THE RIME INISTER AND S JOHN FRENCH AT G . H . Q 1914 FRANCE ,

” H I MR. ASQUITH AND S SO N ANTHONY AT THE WHARE

MAR SHAL FOCH

P RESIDENT WILSON

M . S QU I H E R R BABY P RIS CILLA BIBE SCO RS A TH AND G AND ,

MAR GOT ASQUITH AN AUTO BIO GRAPH Y

MARGO T ASQU ITH A N A U TO BIO G R A P H Y

CHAPTER I — EVE OF TH E GREAT WAR ASQU IT H WARNS E M P IRE O J U LY 29 1 914— V S T TO TH E E MAN F WAR , , I I G R — — E M BASSY KITC H ENER W AR DECLARED AU GU ST 4

10 D n re ul 91 4 owni S t et J 1 . g , y, T is not my purpose to write a history o fthe

o r o fan o the c m its I war ; y f a p aign , either in successes or failures . These have been fully dealt with by most o fthe great Generals and many co m But m petent amateurs . from y diaries and notes taken often o n the same day I shall give a true and simple account o fwhat I saw and heard from

t 4th 1 91 4 un we ee Aug us the , , til left Downing Str t 1 91 6 in December , . The London season of 1 91 4 had been a disap

o ne me not o ne pointing for , and an amusing for

l was E izabeth , and as I anxious that she should have a little fun I sent her alone on the 25th of [ 1 1 ] MAR GOT ASQUITH

J . r uly to stay with Mrs Geo ge Keppel , who had taken a house in Holland . Alice Keppel is a woman of almost historical

no t interest , only from her friendship with King E w d ard , but from her happy personality, and her knowledge o fsociety and of the men o fthe day .

o f adven She is a plucky woman fashion ; human , turons , and gay , who in spite of doing what she

all . H liked her life , has never made an enemy er

o f native wit and Wits cover a certain lack culture , but her desire to please has never diminished her sincerity . When we had to leave Downing Street without — a roof over o ur heads in 1 91 6 as our house in — Cavendish Square was let to Lady Cunard she - put her o wn bedroom and sitting room at my dis posal and insisted upon living o n an upper storey herself . To be a Liberal in high society is rare : indeed I often wonder in what society they are to be found .

not I do meet them among golfers , soldiers , sailors , o r servants ; nor have I seen much Liberalism in

o r l c the Church , the Court , the City ; but A i e Kep pel was born in Scotland and has remained a true

Liberal . [ 12] AN AUTOBIOGR AP HY King E dward asked me once if I had ever known

o r a woman of kinder sweeter nature than hers , and I could truthfully answer that I had not . When Elizabeth went to Holland o n the 25th ! July) Foreign affairs were not causing uneasiness to any o fthe people that I had seen . But a feeling o fapprehension made me telegraph to her a few days after her departure to tell her to return . She arrived o n the 1 st o fAug ust accompanied by Lord Castlero ss e and other young men who had been summoned to j oin their regiments . She told me she would never have been allowed to travel had she not dined early and in a serge dress , and that no one in Holland felt the slightest anxiety over the Europ ean situation .

m re So e weeks after she had been with me , I

l c ceived the following letter from A i e Keppel , which I have kept and shall always value . — Margot dearest yo u must get stronger ; the time is coming when we shall all have to keep a stiff uppe r lip . Your heart is too large ; you feel other

’ u o wn people s sorrows as much as yo r , but the grit yo u have always had is ever the re . I think you are right when you say that there has been a lack of [ 13] MAR GOT ASQUITH

feeling in the last few years . What struck me was the want o freal gaiety about everything ; but an fond I feel the British people are as sensible and

- n straight thinki g as they ever were , and believe we

ie shall come o ut of this better and strong er? Eliza

’ beth s visit has been a real j oy ; she is a delightful i 1 7! ch ld , only with such a quick bright brain and

o — a heart fgold . We all including servants w loved her, and her ish to help in every way in

the house I found charming. When the war news

‘ grew black all she said was I mus t go back or

’ Mother will ro w over for me ! You have a darling — — g irl , Margot , clever and better than that loving, unselfish and good

affec Your always .

“ L CE A I K .

The apprehension I felt was shared by no one in

a 29th Ju London society , and as l te as the ! ly), when the Ar chbishop o f Canterbury and Lord

’ D Aberno n w were lunching in Do ning Street , they were amazed when I told them I had stopped my ! I had mentioned in my letter of thanks to her the cruelties of Su ff s ff i o f a the ragette , and the indi erence shown over the drown ng friend o fours at a supper party on the Th ames ; also a general lack o freverence am ong the young intellectuals that had been growing up In England and wondered i f the re was not some be tter reas on to fo r account the situation . ) [14 ]

MAR GOT ASQUITH

I have sent the precautionary telegram to every ” o f part the Empire , he said , informing all the

O fii ces— Government Naval , Military, Trade and — Foreign that they must prepare for war . We have been considering this for the last two years at

i o f the Comm ttee Defence, and it has never been done before ; for over an hour and a half we worked , and the last telegram was sent off at this after

‘ noon . We have arranged to see the representa tives of the Press daily, so as to tell them what they ”

not . may, and what they may publish

Deeply moved , and thrilled with excitement , I observed the emotion in his face and said : “ Has it come to this ! ” At which he nodded

n without speaking, and after kissi g me left the room .

Thursda Jul 30th 1914 . y, y ,

’ The next day I went to the Speaker s Gallery, full of apprehension . The House of Commons seemed unfamiliar ; yet how well I knew it ! The smiling policeman and rapid lift ; the courteous servants , noiseless doors ; and the ugly , pretty, stupid , clever , West End ’ i ladies faces . The suppressed chatter, d ngy air, [ 1 6] P h oto by H arms Ag ency

VIS COUNT GREY OF FAL L ODE N

AN AUTOBIOGR APHY

’ frugal teas , and cheerless light of the Speaker s

ll — w b ut Ga ery all these I kne and loved , they seemed changed for me that afternoon .

The position o faffairs following o n the Austrian note to Servia had developed with alarming rapid ity . Mr . Bonar Law and Sir Edward Carson had seen my husband in the morning, and they had parted in complete agreement over the gravity of the situation . It was impossible fo r Henry to move his Irish

Amending Bill , which had been awaited with pas sio nate excitement and was to have taken place that day . I went to the Prime Minister ’s room on my ar

at H R ed rival the ouse , but , seeing Dillon and mond waiting outside his door , I remained in the passage .

a Before going into the G llery, Henry and I met for a moment alone , and I asked him if things were

: really so alarming . To which he replied

“ ’ ’ : o ur Yes , I m afraid they are fellows don t all agree with me about the situation , but times are too serious for any personal consideration and whether

! or Z do o r do not resign matters little [17] MAR GOT ASQUITH

’ : to me , as long as Crewe and Grey are there I don t ” intend to be caught napping . I remember vaguely the frigid acknowledgments o fsome of the Ulster aristocracy and a withdrawal o fskirts as I took my seat in the closely packed Gallery and watched my husband with throbbing pulses as he rose to his feet . “ I do not propose to make the motion which

” “ stands in my name , he said , but by the indulgence o f H i the ouse I should l ke to give the reason . W e - meet to day under conditions o fgravity which are almost unparalleled in the experience of every one o fus . The issues of peace and war are hanging in the balance , and with them the risk of a catastrophe o f which it is impossible to measure either the

o r dimensions the effects . In these circumstances it is o fvital importance in the interests o fthe whole

i o f world that this country , which has no nterest

i n its own d rectly at stake , should present a u ited front, and be able to speak and act with the author d ity of an undivi ed nation . If we were to proceed

- o n S l to day with the first Order the paper, we hou d

un inevitably , less the Debate was conducted in an t artificial one , be involved in acute controversy in regard to domestic differences whose importance [ 18] AN AUTOB IOGR APHY to ourselves no one in any quarter o fthe House is disposed to disparage . I need not say more than that such a use o fo ur time at such a moment might have inJurio us effects on the international situation . I have had the advantage o fconsultation with the

o f Leader the Opposition , who , I know , shares to the full the View which I have expressed . We therefore propose to put o ff for the present the consideration of the Second Reading o f the — Amending Bill o f course without prej udice to

-in o f its future the hope that , by a postponement

o f t the discussion , the patriotism all par ies will con

i o ur tribute what l es in power , if not to avert , at least to circumscribe the calamities which threaten ” the world . W hen he sat down there was a look o fbewi lder i ’ ment amount ng to awe upon every member s face .

r I got up to go , but the fashionable females c owded

i n round me , press ng close and aski g questions . “ ! ! ” “ Good Heavens Margot they said , what can this mean ? Don ’t you realise the Irish will be fighting each other this very night ? H o w fearfully dangerous ! What does it mean ?”

who The Orange aristocracy , had been engaged in strenuous preparations fo r their civil war and [19] MAR GOT ASQUITH had neither bowed nor spoken to me for months past , j oined in the questioning . Looking at them without listening and answering as if in a dream, I said :

“ o f W ar We are on the verge a European .

Jul 3l s t 1 914 . y , 3 The next day , Friday the lst , while I was breakfasting in bed , my husband came to see me . H aving heard in a general way that things were going a little better , I looked anxiously at his face ; but he said that he himself had given up all hope , and left the room . After a long Cabinet he lunched at the Admi ralt i he y , and went to Buck ngham Palace , where remained for over an hour with the King. H He arrived late at the ouse , having been kept by an interview with business men in the City .

“ They are the greatest ninnies I have ever had to

” “ tackle , he said , I found them all in a state of

o ld funk , like women chattering over tea in a ” Cathedral town . He left me and hurried into the House to make the following statement [20]

MAR GOT ASQU ITH

Henry went down to the Cabinet room and Sir - Edward Grey j oined us in the drawing room . We

e sat and talked in a disj oint d way, all sitting in a circle . I watched Grey’s handsome face and felt the healing freshness o fhis simple and convinced per

“ o alit k s n . n y He is a man who thi s to scale , as

l o f Lord Mou ton once said to me Rufus Reading, and obliges o ne to reconstruct the meaning o fthe word Genius .

s In the middle of our languid talk , messeng er came in with piles o fForeign Office boxes and m he ju ped up and left the room .

r Mr . Montagu ! Financial Secreta y to the Treas ur i y ) came in , and , after exchang ng a few words , he seized me by the arm and said in a Violent whi sper - We ought to mobilise to morrow and declare it ! I wish X and Z could be crushed fo r ever ! their influence is most pernicious : would you believe ” it they are all against any form of action !

“ ” How about McKenna ? I asked ; to which he replied

’ Oh ! di ! in he s splen d Most loyal, and perfect [22] AN AUTOB IOGR APHY

agreement with the Prime Minister . X is mad not to see that we must mobilise at once !

’ ” “ ! I m nor Don t fret said cal ly , neither X Z will have the smallest influence over Henry ; hi ! s mind , alas has been made up from the first and ” no one will be able to change it now .

A u us t l s t 1 914 . g , On Saturday the 1 st we read in the papers that

Germany had declared war upon Russia .

9“ The Beckendo rffs dined with us that night and we had a lively altercation . He said that it was not the Kaiser but his War Party that had prompted the Germans to make this move . I disagreed , as l I cou d not but think that the Kaiser, being the

u in influ big fig re Germany , was unlikely to be

o enced by his son r by any person or Party . I added impulsively that I was glad that we coul d act together as a nation independent o fevery other country , which was not very tactful , but I could not help thinking how much I would have disliked any alliance with a country as misgoverned as R us sia , and remembered in that connection the saying

“ ” never ! that Britons never , will be Slavs

We were still worried over the Irish question ,

’ C u Beckend orfi the l e s . o nt , at Ru sian Ambassador [23] MAR GOT ASQU ITH

a nn R m and fter di er I wrote a line to Mr . ed ond telling him that he had the opportunity of his life of setting an unforgettable example to the Carson ites if he would go to the House o fCommons on the Monday and in a great speech offer all his soldiers to the Government ; or , if he preferred it, f write and o fer them to the King . It appeared to me that it would be a dramatic thing to do at

S c u h a moment , and might strengthen the claim of

o f Ireland upon the gratitude the British people .

2nd On Sunday morning, August the , he replied to me in the following letter :

“ P r wate 18 W YNN T Y R DE S A GA NS , “ K ENSINGTON . D E MRS U TH AR . ASQ I ,

“ I received your letter late last night . I am very grateful to you for it . I hope to see the Prime Minister to-morrow before the House meets if only

ma b a bl for a few moments , and I hope I y e e to follow your advice .

“ With sincere sympathy,

“ I am , Very truly yours ,

“ J R E D M O D “ . E . N . S unda y,

“

2nd A u 191 4 . g . , [24]

MAR GOT ASQUITH

After reading this I went with Elizabeth to the i ’ Commun on Service at St . P aul s . It was a relief to see the children Sittin g as usual o n the steps playing with the strutting p igeons , and as I walked out of the baking sunlight into the cool Cathedral my mind felt at rest . I dropped Elizabeth at 10 Downing Street on my return and went across the Horse Guards to Carlton House Terrace to ask if I could see the ale w s L ichno sky . It was the habit of the Germans to choose men

and of honour for their Ambassadors in London , to appoint as first secretaries men versed in political intrigue capable o fkeeping the Kaiser informed Of

o t i every facet four domes ic pol cy . Prince L ichnowsky followed the footsteps of his predecessor , Count Metternich , and was a sincere and honest man . He had a pointed head , a peevish

a . voice , and bad manners with serv nts He com bined in his personal appearance a look of race and a Goya picture . His wife was a handsome woman

r of talents and character , who from pe versity, lack of vanity, and love of caprice , had allowed her figure to get fat ; a condition that always p rej u

P rince L ichnowsky was the German Ambassador. [26] AN AUTOBIOGR APH Y!

L ichno wsk dice s me . But in Princess y I found so ff much nature , a ection and enterprise that , in spite

and o fblack socks , white boots crazy tiaras , I could fl not but admire her . She detested the in uence of — the Prussian Court ; and the Kaiser to whom h er — husband had always been loyal was a forbidden subj ect between them .

When the Prince first arrived in London , he told

o n o f me that , the occasion his appointment as Brit t ish Ambassador , he had said to the Kaiser tha if he intended making trouble in England he had g ot

. I hold of the wrong man On hearing this , asked if he thought there was much feeling against us in Germany ; at which he assured me with perfect sincerity that the relations between the two coun tries were excellent ; that there was a g reat deal of exaggeration in the talk , and that he himself had

an ill- w never observed y feeling, but added ith an innocent smile :

“ Our Kaiser is a man of impulse . That Sun day morning I found Princess Lich nowsky lying o n a green sofa with a Dachshund by her side ; her eyes starved and swollen from cry w ing, and her husband , walking up and do n the

r n his . room, was w ingi g hands On seeing me he [27] MAR GOT ASQUITH

caught me by the arm and said in a hoarse , high voice : “ Oh ! say there is surely not going to be war !

! he pronounced war as if it rhymed with far ).

can no thin he Dear Mrs . Asquith, g done to pre vent it ! ” I sat down o n the sofa and putting my arms

Mechtilde L ichno wsk round y we burst into tears . She got up and pointing o ut o fthe window to the sky and green trees said with impulse To think that we should bring such sorrow o n innocent happy people ! Have I not always loathed the Kaiser and his brutes of friends ! One thousand times I have said the same , and I will ” never cross his threshold again . Prince L ichno wsky sat down beside us in great agitation

“ But I do not understand what has happened ! ?” What is it all about he asked . To which I replied

“ I can only imagi ne the evil genius of your Kaiser at this the Prince interrupted me : “ ill- — l He is informed impu sive , and must be mad ! o r he never listens , believes one word of what ” I say ; he answers none of my telegrams . [28]

MAR GOT ASQUITH

“ Al l right ! Y o u can warn these men that noth ing will affect my husband ; he will form a Coalition ” with the other side and then they will be done for ;

as o ne articu but , there was no whose judgment I p larl y valued on the Opposition benches , I refrained , and contented myself by asking if he really thought X and Z would resign at the next day ’s

Cabinet . We were interrupted by O coming into the room , and , not having seen him for some days and kn owing that he knew the inner workings

’ s l of X mind , I asked him if it was rea ly true

u P acifists that X was intrig ing with the , to which 0 replied :

“ r He has always loathed milita ism , as you know,

r since the days of the Boer War , and has an inferio

r him crowd ound , but , until he knows how much

n r backing he will have in the cou t y, I doubt if he ” will commit himself .

Z u us t 3rd 1914 . g ,

Mr After what . Montague and others had told me I felt full of anxiety when I woke up on the

3rd o f Monday morning ! the August , and , thinking over the two Ministers most likely to re [30] AN AUTOBIOGR APH Y

in in sign , I wondered what l e Henry would take the Cabinet . It is always interesting to speculate o n the mo tives ex eri that move men , and after considerable p - ence I have come to the conclusion that self love - or self consciousness o fsome kin d lies at the root of most resignations . At every stage in life men are to be found o n the point of resigning . They

’ t rv s art in the nursery, and continue in the se ants

as : hall . We are all familiar with such phrases

“ ’ ” ! ! o r : Oh very well then , I Shan t play

’ In that case , ma am , I had perhaps better go . U nselfcentred people do not suffer from the

: same temptations they are simple and disengaged , willing to help and ready to combine or stand aside . Threatening to resign is a mild form of blackmail equally common to both sexes . We had men of every persuasion in our Govern

J . I ment , ews , Celts and Nonconformists have never understood why anyone should be proud of i having either Jewish or Celtic blood in his ve ns .

l s I have had , and sti l have , devoted friend among J l mi the ews , but have often been painfu ly re nded

“ o fthe Jew u r saying, A is ro nd you neck , at your ” ee v f t, but ne er by your side ; Celtic blood is usually [31] MAR GOT ASQUITH accompanied by excited brains and a reckless tem

erament and fo r exa era p , is always an excuse gg

o r tion . When not whining wheedling, the Celt is

u o f ffo r us ally in a state blu funk , and can always wind himself up to the kind of rhetoric that no housemaid can resist . Nor can I say that the Nonconformist con h science as never disappointed me . At one time it

a o f n was the b ckbone this cou try, nobly presented

Mauches ter Guardian as it has always been by the , but the Government policy in Ireland of an Eye

E e o r o ne for an y , two teeth for , dignified by the “ ff ” name of O icial Reprisals , stirred little indigna tion in the breasts of th e I No nco nfo rmists o r their Press ; and the men I know who claim to have it - to day are maidenly, mulish and dusty. There has been much misrepresentation about o ur Pa rty entering into the war ; no r can I tell the t whole truth abou it , but there are a few general observations which I can make here as appropri ately as in any other part of this volume .

The Liberal Party has always hated Force , and love o fPeace is what their opponents most dislike in them . It is not easy for any Prime Minister to commit [32] TH E RIGHT IIO N OU RA BL E W INSTON C II U R C H IL L

AN AUTOBIOGR APHY his Party to a war on foreign soil with an unknown

fo r foe , but it was lucky this country that the Lib

rals 191 4 e were in power in , as men might have been suspicious of acquiescing in such a terrible decision

o f J r at the dictation a ingo Gove nment .

“ J e War being , as ohn Hay said , The most Futil ” o f o ne and Ferocious all human follies , no can be blamed for hesitating to enter into it . But as so much political capital has been made out )fthe winning o fthe Great War it is only fair that people

o f should know what actually happened . If any l the myths are sti l believed , I am in a position to dispel them , and I can only say that , despite the

o f wavering some of the Colleag ues , neither Sir

R un Edward Grey , Mr . Herbert Samuel , Mr .

man McKenna ci . , Mr , or Lord Crewe showed the smallest hesitation , and my husband made up his mind from the first day that we were bound in honour to fight . His faith was as great as the fears o f o f a few his Colleagues were shallow , and his heart was fixed .

18 : e In Proverbs xxix , verse , it says Where ther is no vision the people perish , and I have some times wondered what would have happened if Henry had not sent the Precautionary telegrams [33] MAR GOT ASQUITH

29th Jul 1 91 4 as early as the of y, , and followed them by speeches which inspired the whole British

Empire . What was the position of our Army in the year 1 91 4 ? Thanks to Lord Haldane , Mr . Balfour , Sir Maurice Hankey and my husband we had an Expeditionary Force not large enough to fight half Europe—because no minister would remain in power for a week wh o attempted to keep an army for such event—but more perfectly trained and equipped than any body o fmen that ever left o ur shores . And they could have been backed by an even larger army had the Territorials been made

o f no t fo r use , but Lord Kitchener did care other men ’s schemes and had not been long enough in this country to know what had been happening. He

o a i was a l vable man of great bil ty, but he had a moderate understanding. A good deal that is dull and inaccurate has been published about him , but , whether from too much o r t too li tle admiration , the Kitchener that I knew has not been truly presented to the world . In spite of a striking appearance his frank desert eye was misleading . A fine figure o fcommanding height , added to an address both autocratic and [34]

AN AUTOBIOGR APHY

abrupt , conveyed to strangers the not altogether true impression that Lord Kitchener was a man l of high moral courage and inexorable wi l . Be this

o ne as it may , no who dominated the public mind and captured the private services o fas many good men in the mann er he did could be other than re markable ; and , apart from being a recruiting agent o f ul incalc able value , whose steadfast stare was

o n seen every hoarding , Lord Kitchener was a man of genius . When he was appointed to the War Office in

1 91 4 o ne o f . , I was the few people who regretted it

I had known him from girlhood , and , while recog i nisin . g his charm , was aware of his l mitations In spite of warnings from my husband and Mr . Mc

who r Kenna , was then Home Secreta y , he under took at the outbreak o fwar more than one man could easily accomplish , and he had neither the tem

erament fo r p nor training team work . His life had been largely spent among coloured

no t races who , when overpowered , were generally u outwitted by him , and being a nat ral diplomatist - he was inclined to suspect his fellow men .

o f With the exception my husband , for whom he had ff ce an a ection amounting to reveren , Lord I37l

P OSTSCR IP T TO A L E TTE R TO ME FR OM L OR D FIS H E R AS KING ME GO AND S E E TH E W IR E L E S S W OR KING AT TH E ADMIR AL TY IN 1 9 I MAR GOT ASQUITH

Kitchener could not get on with his colleagues , but the myt h cannot be sustained that he would have been more successful had he worked with a stronger

Cabinet . Who were the men he had to work with in the ? Great War They are all alive , well known , and puzzle nobody . Is Sir Edward Carson a man o fevasive person i t ? ’ al ty who ever shirked conflic Is Mr . Balfour s

’ McKenna ? o r . s mind muddled , Mr mystical Has

n ? Mr . Churchill a horror of big u dertakings and does Sir William Robert son lack resolution ? Could anyone accuse Sir Edward Grey o fvacil lating conviction ? or the late Lord Fisher o fwant o f ? ? courage Did Mr . Bonar Law fear the future o r the present Prime Minister intrigue against the High Command ? Surely not : the truth is that the awe he inspired in the East he was unable to im press upon a Western Cabinet , and the real tragedy o fLord Kitchener was that none of his colleagues were afraid o fhim .

He belonged to an earlier generation , before self

and determination had come into fashion , being accustomed to subj ect races would never h ave rec o g nised the legi timate desire for independence [42]

MAR GOT ASQUITH of their own free will into o ur army ; that industrial

o ut n troubles must have broken all over the cou try , and that we should have transported sulky soldiers to France instead of men inspired by a great faith . In this he showed moral imagination o f a rare order . He was also perfectly straight over the

in munition controversy , showing character and dependence when the Press and the gossips started their campaign in the country to get rid o fhim and my husband . So much nonsense has been written and believed over the shell controversy that it would be plough — ing the sands to quote an expression o fmy hus ’ - - band s to re open it ; the prej udiced would not be

t n conver ed , and all the men who cou t know the - l truth to day . I wil only say that shells cannot be produced by a wave of the wand o r any amount of commands , and that the same complaint was being

raised by every army in Europe . In this connection I will repeat what Lord

o n J 2nd 1 915 French said to me , Friday , uly the , , after the formation o fthe first Coalition .

“

not . You must be depressed , Mrs Asquith , Sir J “ ohn French said to me, all armies are in want [44 ] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

o n o fmunitions . We found a letter a dead Ger

ffi er man o c , written to his wife , in which he says ,

‘ we are doing no good in this line ; we are infernally

$ 3 , badly led and have not enough munitions .

o f 1 91 4 At the outbreak war in August , , a con tract was signed with America for twenty-nine mil - lion rounds o fammunition a bold order co nsid

not ering only people in high society , but every General and Admi ral we saw thought the war would be over in a few months—but the indecision at Headquarters in France as to the kind o fshell

o u they most wanted , and the delay in carrying t

Am o f the orders in erica , made the position both the factories and the Prime Minister almost nu bearable . It would have been easy fo r my husband to have told the public at the time o fthe manv letters he had received both from Lord French and Lord

"6 o n Kitchener , the perfect adequacy of our daily in o f creasing supply shells , but he refused against all the entreaties o f his friends throughout th e whole intrigue of the Press and other persons to defend himself at the expense o fthe High Com

S e re c t.

MARGOT ASQUITH

mand . This earned him the warm private grati

o f J tude both Lord Kitchener and Sir ohn French . But it was shown in an un equal degree by them in

anv public , and I doubt if man could recover his reputation after ascribing the early failures of the war to a dead enemy or a living friend . h 1 91 4 Not ing that happened from August , , till

1 916 o f December, , disproved the truth the saying

“ ’ L a g uerre es t trop s érzeus e p our la laiss er aux ” mil taires o f i , and through the burden the mistakes o fboth business men and the Generals was heavy at the time , and hurt us subsequently, my husband never regretted bearing it . The tragedy o fLord Kitchener was in the man ner o fhis death more than its occurrence . He died before the criticisms o fhis colleagues were known to the public— after he had had a great personal triumph in the House o fCommons ; and to us who knew and loved him he will always be an heroic

figure .

The two Ministers in the Cabinet who se motives for resigning were unimpeachable , and indeed to d J an . their credit , were Lord Morley Mr ohn li Burns . I pub sh their letters [4 8]

MAR GOT ASQUITH

“ A u us t 9th g ,

W E M AD FL O R E ,

“ AD PRINCES RO ,

WI M BLEDON PARK,

“ S . W .

EAR MR S S H D . A QUIT , “ ff The severance has been a sore a liction , but do

e —if — be sur you care that , so far as I am con cerned , no wound is left , hardly a scratch . To morrow we start for Skibo ! the owner o fwhich J has for the moment j oined the ingo persuasion ). i There I find a little yacht , a l brary collection by

rm i Acton , the most cha ng hostess in the world ! ask

o f Rosebery), and relays American company , who

o ne . are as good as if were abroad I have a chance ,

o f o f too , a week with the heads the Scotch Uni vers ities ! What say you to all that ? “ Why do you tax me with a squeamish con ? It science was not conscience at all , but common

n o f sense . What use should I be in the Cou cil

War , into which unhappy circumstances have transformed the Cabinet ?

“ ’ ’ I ve run my course and kept the faith . That s enough . “ Give my cordial salutations to the Prime Min [50]

MARGOT ASQUITH ister . He has done me two o r three personal kind nesses that I shall never forget . I wis h we could

have gone on together .

“

As for you , your kindness has been unbounded , and I shall be , until my dwindling days come to an end, always

afi ectionate Your friend ,

“ RLE MO Y .

L OCAL E T A GOV RN MEN BO RD,

“

S . W WH ITEHALL,

“ A u 1 7th 1 914 g . , .

E R MR S S H D A . A QUIT ,

“ r Many thanks for your kindly lette , the senti

o f ments which I reciprocate .

“ u I am in the sub rbs and disinclined , at least for

o u o the present , to give y any impressions fwhat transpired on August 4th ! remember Quatre Sep tembre ). “ What happened then is of less consequence now than what will happen next week . We are very busy here . I am engaged in hunting our relief works and have been successful in getting sufficient fo r at least men for five months , capable of further extension as necessity compels . [54] AN AUTOB IOGRAPHY We are confronted with all the philanthropic mischief of the social butterflies and sentimental busybodies . Lady Bountiful competing with Lady

Prodigal for the smiles o fthe poor and the bibulous

’ cheers o fthe loafers in distributing other people s

Of money at the cost the character of all the poor .

“ o n But we are sitting their heads , as the cabman w ’ ould say, and after a fortnight s firmness getting

own wa our y with them .

“ ’ Our eight years experience at L . G . B the few but splendid people we got round us , and the ex cellent civil servants will pull us through this awful ordeal in London . “ I never worked harder in my life than during l the past months , but there never was a sou more

re at ease nor a happier spirit than I am , with no sentment but only a noble pity fo r those who suc cumb to the diseased ambition o f wr iting their

o . diaries in red instead fblack The sadness , bad ness and madness o fit all fills o ne with a merciful condolence rather than a glazing wrath , but the wrath will come .

“ The sun here is warm , the common bright and

green , the sheep are browsing in a field across the [55] MARGOT ASQUITH

and way , the temper and behaviour of the people

in the streets superb .

“ But in Belgium the serried ranks o fsoldiers are waiting to be mown down in swathes by the deadly

scythe founded by angry statesmen , and wielded by the men o fwar for the errors o fthe diplomats who

o f have blundered , and at the cost the people who

l who f have trusted , and the mil ions will su fer . By

the way , it was almost worth having a war to get f t rid of the su fraget es .

“ With all good wishes ,

Yours ever , “ J OHN BURNS .

I had no opportunity Of asking my husband o n

3rd 1 91 4 the morning of the ! August , ) about the resignations as I never saw him before I went to

the House o fCommons . Our Foreign Mini ster was to make his historic

speech , and when I arrived the House was crowded . Sir Edward Grey rose and said “ Last week I stated that we were working for

no t fo r n to peace only this cou try , but preserve the - ’ peace of Europe . To day s events move so rapidly

I have only ha d space for a short transcript of this great speech .

MARGOT A S QU ITH own feeling is that if a foreign fleet engaged in a war which France had not sought , and in which she had not been the aggressor, came down the English Channel and bombarded and battered the

o f undefended coasts France , we could not stand aside and see this going o n practically within o ur ! sight , with folded arms

“ I want to look at the matter without sentiment ,

o f and from the point view of British interests , and it is o n that that I am going to j ustify what I say

to . e the House If we say nothing at this mom nt , what is France to do with her Fleet in the Medi ? terranean If she leaves it there , with no statement from us , she leaves her Northern and Western coasts at the mercy o fa German fleet coming down

n the Chan el , to do as it pleases in a war which is a war o flife and death between them . If we say nothing, it may be that the French Fleet is with drawn from the Mediterranean . We are in the presence o f a E uropean co nflag ration ; can any body set limits to the consequences that may arise out o fit ? Let us assume that we stand aside in

‘ o f : an attitude neutrality , saying No , we cannot undertake and engage to help either party in this

’ co nflict . Let us suppose the French Fleet is with [58] AN AUTOBIO GRAPHY

drawn from the Mediterranean , and let us assume that the consequences make it necessary at a sudden

o f moment , in defence vital British interests , we should go to war

“ Nobody can say that in the course o fthe next ul few weeks there is any partic ar trade route , the keeping open o f which may not be vital to this

en country . We feel strongly that France was — titled to know and to know at once ! whether o r not o f n , in the event attack upon her u protected

r Northe n and Western Coasts , she could depend li i upon British support . In these compel ng c rcum stances , yesterday afternoon , I gave the French Ambassador the following statement

‘ I am authorised to give an assurance that , if the German Fleet comes into the Channel o r through the North Sea to un dertake hostile opera tions against the French coasts , the British Fleet

l ro e io n wi l give all the p t c in its power . This assur

o f o f ance is , course , subj ect to the policy His

’ Maj esty s Government receiving the support o f

Parliament , and must not be taken as binding His Maj esty ’s Government to take any action until the above contingency of action by the German Fleet

’ takes place . MARGOT A S QU ITH

I read that to the House , not as a declaration o f o n a war our part , but as binding us to take g

res sive g action should that contingency arise .

“ to u Things move hurriedly from hour ho r .

French news comes in , which I cannot give in any formal way, but I understand that the German

Government would be prepared , if we would pledge ourselves to neutrality , to agree that its fleet would not attack the Northern coast o fFrance . I have only heard that shortly before I came to the

to o House , but it is narrow an engagement for us .

And , Sir , there is the more serious consideration ” o the question of the neutrality fBelgium . ! We had read in the morning papers that Ger man troops had marched into the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg . ) “ Before I reached the House I was informed that the following telegram had been received from the King o fthe Belgians by our King George ‘Remembering the numerous proofs of Your

’ o f Maj esty s friendship and that your predecessors ,

o f 1 870 and the friendly attitude England in , and the proof o ffriendship she has just given us again , I make a supreme appeal to the Diplomatic inter [ 60] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

’ vention of Your Maj esty s Government to safe

’ guard the integrity O fBelgium . “ We have vital interests in the independence of

Belgi um . If she is compelled to submit to her neu

tralit . y being violated , the situation is clear Even if by agreement she admitted the violation O fher neutrality, she could only do so under duresse . The o ne desire o fthe Smaller States is that they should

o ne be left alone and independent . The thing they fear is , I think , not so much that their integrity but that their independence should be interfered with . If, in this war which is before Europe , the

o f o f neutrality one those countries is violated , and no action be taken to resent it , at the end of the war, whatsoever the integrity may be , the inde

endence p will be gone . It may be said , I suppose , that we might stand aside , husband our strength ,

o f and , whatever happened in the course this war , at the end o fit intervene with effect to put things right ; but for us , with a powerful Fleet , which we

o ur o ur believe able to protect commerce , shores , f and our interests , we shall su fer but little more

we if we engage in war than if stand aside .

“ f i We are going to su fer terribly n ei ther case .

Foreign trade is going to stop , not because the [61] MARGOT AS QU ITH

are routes closed , but because there is no trade at the other end . Continental nations with all their populations , energies , and wealth , engaged in a

r o n desperate struggle , cannot car y the trade with

o n us that they are carrying in times of peace . I do not believe for a moment that at the end of this war, even if we stood aside , we should be in a posi tion to us e our force decisively to undo what had

o r o f happened , prevent the whole the West of Eur ope falling under the domination o fa single

u o ur Power, and I am quite s re that moral position would be such as to have lost us all respect .

“ There is but o ne way in which we could make certain at the present moment Of keeping outside this War , and that would be to issue a proclama

o tion funconditional neutrality . We cannot do that . “ The most awful responsibility is resting upon the Government in deciding what to advise . We have disclosed the issue and made clear to the

House , I trust , that should the situation develop

l . H o w we wil face it hard , how persistently, and how earnestly we strove for peace last week , the House will see from the papers that will be put before it ; but that is over . If , as seems probable, [62] AN AUTOBIO GRAPHY we are forced to take our stand upon the issues that I have put before the House , then I believe when the country realises what is at stake , and the

ni mag tude of the impending dangers , we shall be

o f supported throughout , not only by the House m Com ons , but by the determination , the courage , ” and the endurance Of the whole country .

Sir E dward Grey sat down in a hurricane Ofap plause and the news o f his statement instantly

all spread over London . When we returned to Downing Street the crowd was so great that extra police had to be brought from Scotland Yard to clear the way for o ur motor .

I looked at the excited cheerers , and from the happy expression o n their faces you might have supposed that they welcomed the war . I have met with men who loved stamps , and stones , and snakes , but I could not imagine any man loving war .

Too exhausted to think I lay sleepless in bed . Bursts o fcheering broke like rockets in a silent

“ o f Go d sky , and I listened to snatches Save the ” King shouted in front of the Palace all through t the nigh . MARGOT ASQUITH

Tuesda A u us 4th 1 1 4 t 9 . y, g , Downing Street was full o fanxious and excited people as we motored to the House O fCommons

4th : the next day , August some stared , some

o . cheered , and s me lifted their hats in silence I sat breathless with my face glued to the grille of the gallery when my husband rose to announce that an ultimatum had been sent to Germany . He said “ In conformity with the statement Of policy made here by my right hon . friend , the Foreign

Secretary , yesterday , a telegram was early this morning sent by him to our Ambassador in Berlin . It was to this effect :

‘ The King o fthe Belgians has made an appeal to His Maj esty the King fo r diplomatic interven

’ tion o n behalf of Belgium . His Maj esty s Gov ernment are also informed that the German Gov ernment has delivered to the Belgian Government a Note proposing friendly neutrality entailing free passage through Belgian territory and promising to maintain the independence and integrity o fthe

i o f K ngdom and its possessions , at the conclusion peace , threatening in case of refusal to treat Bel gium as an enemy . We also understand that [64]

MARGOT ASQUITH

German force has penetrated still further into Bel gian territory . We also received this morning from the German Ambassado r here the telegram sent to t him by the German Foreign Secre ary , and com municated e by the Ambassador to us . It is in thes terms ‘Please dispel any mistrust that may subsist on the part o fthe British Government with regard to our intentions by repeating most positively for

o f mal assurance that , even in the case armed con

flict with Belgium , Germany will under no pretence

n o f whatever an ex Belgian territory . Sincerity this declaration is borne out by the fact that we solemnly pledged our word to Holland strictly to l respect her neutrality . It is obvious that we cou d not profitably annex Belgic territory without mak ing, at the same time , territorial acquisitions at ex pense o fHolland . Please impress upon Sir E . Grey that German Army could not be exposed to French attack across Belgium, which was planned according to absolutely un impeachable in

disre formation . Germany had consequently to

l fo r gard Belgic neutra ity, it being her a question

’ of life o r death to p revent French advance. £66] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

! Henry paused after this and then said in a slow, loud voice :

“ ’ I have to add o n behalf o fHis Maj esty s Gov ernment : We cannot regard this as in any sense a

m . satisfactory co munication We have , in reply to

it , repeated the request we made last week to the

German Government, that they should give us the same assurance in regard to Belgian neutrality as was gi ven to us and to Belgium by France last

week . We have asked that a reply to that request , and a satisfactory answer to the telegram of this

m — mo rning which I have read to the House should ” be given before midnight .

the I looked at House , which was packed from

gallery to floor while my husband was speaking, and through misty eyes the heads of the listening members appeared to me as if bowed in prayer

“ A s atisfactory ans wer before midnig ht These fateful and terrible words were greeted by w ave upon wave of cheering, which continued and increased as Henry rose and walked slowly down

the floor of the House . wh w Few understood y he went do n to the Bar,

and a e when he turned and faced the Spe ker , excit

n ment knew o bounds . MARGOT ASQUITH I quote from Hansard TH E PRIM E MINISTER at the Bar acquainted the House that he had a message from His

’ o w an d Maj esty , signed by His Majesty s n hand , he presented the same to the House , and it was read by Mr . Speaker ! all the Members of the

House being uncovered ), and it is as followeth

‘ — GEORGE R . I . The present state o fpublic affairs in Europe constituting in the opinion of His Maj esty a case of great emergency within the mean

o f ing the Acts of Parliament in that behalf, His Maj esty deems it proper to provide additional

r v means for the Military Se ice , and therefore , in pursuance of these Acts , His Majesty has thought it right to communicate to the House of Commons that His Maj esty is , by proclamation , about to order that the Army Reserve shall be called out on permanent service , that soldiers who would other

be o f o f wise entitled , in pursuance the terms their enlistment , to be transferred to the Reserve shall

not continue in Army Service for such period , ex ceeding the period fo r which they might be required to serve if they were transferred to the Reserve [68] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY and called o ut fo r permanent service as to His

direc Maj esty may seem expedient , and that such tions as may seem necessary may be given for em bodying the Territorial Force and fo r making such special arrangements as may be proper with regard to un its o r individuals whose serv ices may be re

3 ” quired in other than a military capacity .

When the Speaker had finished reading the King ’s message all the members poured out of the

’ s Hou e , and I went down to the Prime Minister s room . Henry looked grave and gave me John Morley ’s

o f : letter resignation , saying

“ I shall miss him very much ; he is o ne of the most distinguished men living .

Fo r some time we did not speak . I left the win dow and stood behind his chair :

“ ” S O ? it is all up I said . He answered without looking at me

“ ’ Yes , it s all up . I sat down beside him with a feeling o fnumb ness in my limbs and absently watched through ‘ the

- n half open door the backs o fmoving me . A secre [69] MARGOT ASQUI TH

w ff he tary came in ith Foreign O ice Boxes , put

u them down and went o t o fthe room . Henry sat at his writing-table leaning back with ? a pen in his hand . What was he thinking of His sons ? My son was too young to fight ; would they all have to fight ? I got up and leant my head against his : we could not speak for tears . When I arrived in Downing Street I went to bed . How did it how couhi it have happened ? What were we all like five days ago ? We were talking about Ireland and civil war ; civil war ! People were angry but not serious ; and now the sound of real war waved like wireless round our i heads and the whole world was listen ng. I looked at the children asleep after dinner be

n i fore j oining He ry n the Cabinet room . Lord

“ Crewe and Sir Edward Grey were alr eady there and we sat smoking cigarettes in silence ; some went

o ut . , others came in ; nothing was said The clock on the mantelpiece hammered out the hour, and when the last beat of midnight hammered it was as silent as dawn . [70] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

We were at War .

I left to go to bed , and , as I was pausing at the

o f l foot the staircase , I saw Winston Churchil with a happy face striding towards the double doors of

r the Cabinet oom . CHAPTER II — SCE NES IN THE HOUSE OF CO M M ONS GRAVE NEW S — FROM FRANCE KITC HENER THE AUTOCR AT — ORDE RS TO SIR JOHN FRENC H VISIT TO BE LGIAN FRONT

1 0 n t A u h 1 91 4 o wni S reet us t 6t . D g , g , N the morning of the 6th o fAugust my hus band had it ann ounced in the papers that Lord Kitchener had become Secretary of State for

o f War , and in the afternoon I went to the House Commons to hear him move his Motion for a vote o fcredit of I will quote some o fhis speech .

I do not propose to traverse the ground which was covered by my right hon . friend the Foreign

Secretary . He stated the ground upon which with the utmost reluctance His Majesty ’s Government have been compelled to put this country in a state o fwar with what for many years and indeed in

r generations past has been a f iendly Power . If I am asked what we are fighting fo r I reply in two [72]

MARGOT ASQUITH

between that department and another , still less that

w who the First Minister of the Cro n , is ultimately l responsible for the whole po icy of the Cabinet , should give perfunctory attention to the affairs of

r o ur A my in a great war . I am glad to say that a distin guished soldier has at my request stepped into the breach , and I am certain he will have with him the complete confidence of all parties and all opinions .

“ I am asking o n his behalf for the Army power

c m o f o f to in rease the nu ber men all ranks , in addi tion to the number already voted , by no less than I am certain the Committee will not re

fo fuse its sanction , for we are encouraged to ask r it not only by o ur o wn sense o fthe gravity and the

o f necessities the case , but by the knowledge that

India is prepared to send us certainly two divisions , - and that every one o fo ur self governing Domin ions spontaneously , and unasked , has already ten dered every help they can afford to the Empire in a moment o fneed . The Mother Country must set the example , while she responds with gratitude and affection to those filial overtures from the outlying

o f members her family .

“ Sir, I will say no more . This is not an occasion

[74'l AN AUTOB IOGRAPHY

for controversial discussion . In all that I have said

I have not gone beyond the strict bounds of truth .

to ul It is not my purpose inflame feeling, to ind ge in rhetoric or to excite international animosities .

o The occasion is far too grave fr that . We have a great duty to perform , a great trust to fulfil , and confidently we believe that Parliament and the ” country will enable uS to do it . When Henry resumed his seat the whole House roared with applause and everyone was moved . I found myself speculating on when he could have prepared any of this speech ! o fwhich I have gi ven

ha but a short transcript ). I knew he d been work ing most of the night as I had found him writing at two that morning . He told me afterwards that he had neither written nor prepared a single line o fit .

On leaving the House I met my dear Old friend ,

Lord Chaplin , who asked me if he could drive me to

10 ni Dow ng Street .

“ I am proud , my dear , to be seen with you , he t said , with that fine cour esy with which we are all

“ familiar . If anyone had told me that any Prime Minister could have come to thi s House and asked for a vote of credit of a hundred million pounds [75] MARGOT ASQUITH

and got a unanimous vote , I should have said the ’ i thing was impossible . I m not say ng it because I am an Old pal , but , my dear Mrs . Asquith , I think -and I am not the only one —that your husband is the most remarkable man living . He and Grey ” have started this war in a memorable way .

4 A u us t 9th 1 91 . g , On the 9th the King’s Message to the Army and

’ Lord Kitchener s advice were published :

A FR M H E N ME S S GE O T KI G .

W CRO N BLOCK .

M L BUC KINGHA PA ACE .

Y o u are leaving home to fight fo r the safety an d honour o fmy Empire .

“ to Belgium , whose country we are pledged de fend , has been attacked , and France is about to be invaded by the same powerful foe .

“ I have implicit confidence in you , my soldiers .

Duty is your watchword , and I know your duty will be nobly done . “ I shall follow your every movement with deep est interest and mark with eager satisfaction your [76] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

i da ly progress ; indeed , your welfare will never be absent from my thoughts .

“ I pray Go d to bless you and guard yo u and

o u c bring y ba k victorious .

GEORGE , R . I .

9th A u us t 1 91 4 . g ,

L O R D KITCH E NE R ’ S AD VICE

THE TRUE C HARACTER OF A BRITISH SOLDIER

The following instructions have been issued bv Lord Kitchener to every soldier in the Expedition

r his ary A my , to be kept in Active Service Pa! Book

Y o u are ordered abroad as a soldier o fthe King to help o ur French comr ades again st the invasion

Y o t of a common enemy . u have o perform a task i wh ch will need your courage , your energ y , your

o f patience . Remember that the honour the British

Army depends o n your individual conduct .

“ It will be your duty not only to set an example

di n of scipline and perfect steadiness u der fire , but also to maintain the most friendly relations with

o those whom y u are helping in this struggle . The l operations in which you are engaged wil , for the [77] MAR GOT ASQUITH

most part , take place in a friendly country , and you can do your o wn country no better service than in showing yourself in France and Belgium in the true character Of a British soldier . “ i Be invariably courteous , considerate and k nd . Never do anything likely to inj ure or destroy prop ert y , and always look upon looting as a disgraceful

Y ou act . are sure to meet with a welcome and to be trusted ; your conduct must j ustify that welcome and that trust . “ Your duty cannot be done unless your health is

S O on sound . keep constantly your guard against any excesses . In this new experience you may find t temptations both in wine and women . You mus entirely resist both temptations , and while treating u all women with perfect co rtesy, you should avoid any intimacy .

“ O D your duty bravely,

Fear God , Honour the King

HE ER KITC N , “ - Field Marshal .

I might have been reading an o ld Memoir Of some great soldier had this appeared on any printed page [78] AN AUTOB IO GRAPHY

a week before , but in the short five days Since the

’ ot Declaration of War , one s mind had g attuned ,

ou f and whatever y read or heard could not a fect it .

o f In the course that afternoon , I was summoned to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen ; she asked me to sit with her upon a Committee to settle what needlework should be done to help our soldiers , and

o ur o n o I went to first meeting the l th .

A u us t l oth 1 914 . g , A fine room was crowded with ladies o fevery

o f Shade opinion , sitting round a large table ; Peer

’ i W esses and Commoners , j ournal sts ives and Min

’ isters wives , and an animated discussion took place o n what form of needlework we should start all over the country . I suggested it would not be popular to do anything that would compete with the Shops, and said I would undertake to make surgical shirts .

on Lady Lansdowne sat my right , and Princess

Mary on my left , and next to her sat the Queen . Everyone was brave and cheerful but I felt hor ribl y depressed , and after listening to a great many

e trivial and sugg stions , some , some important , I [793 MARGOT ASQUI TH returned to Downing Street wher; I had an ap - J pointment to say good bye to Sir ohn French . I found him waiting fo r me o n my arrival and we had a long and memorable conversation . I asked him to give me any trifle that would remind l me to pray for him , and I gave him a sma l Silver gilt saint which he put in his pocket . I travelled north that night to j oin my little

n i o r so n o the Moray Firth . Before leav ng f the train I talked to Henry in his dressing room . ” I found him reading Our Mutual Friend . He told me he was goin g to read a ll the Dickens novels , as they removed his thoughts if only for

r u a sho t time from Colleag es and Allies , and we

o n t went o discuss his Cabinet . d In reading my diary to ay , in which I record

o f the whole this conversation , I am struck by the insight he showed upon that occasion about the men in who were working both for and against us ,

o ut o f l and the Cabinet , and could a most wish he had been less patient with some of the Colleagues

h to he criticised . W en I alluded the recognised

li o f : bril ance two Of them , he said

“ I could do wi th less cleverness : and should feel no anxiety if I had a few more Crewes and [80 ]

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Greys . In public politics as in private life , char acter is better than brains , and loyalty more valu

” “ able than either ; but , he added , I shall have to work with the material that has been given to me ! d ” Dictatorships generally end in isaster . I received the following letter forwarded from 10 Downing Street , when I was in Scotland

4 A 9 . L NCASTER GATE , W

“

A u us t l oth 1 91 4 . g ,

MY MR S DEAR . ASQUITH , I have cut the General badges off my

o f horsecloth and enclose them . It is the sort thing — — you said in your great kindness o f heart you

‘ ’ to - would like . I am not going say Good bye but

‘ ’ o u Au revoir . Thank y a thousand times for your ff kind and a ectionate friendship .

“ Yours ,

“

J . . . D P FRENC H .

Henry wrote to me daily while I was in Scotland . The following are quotations from his letters

“ A u us t 1 7th 1 91 4 g , . The Turk threatens to give trouble in Egypt and elsewhere , and the Germans are doing all they can to get hold of him . Winston is quite prepared to send a swarm o fflo tillas into [ 81] MARGO T A S QU ITH

‘ ’ the Dardanelles to torpedo the Go eben if neces

o f o ur sary . Three Divisions are now in their

o f positions at the Front , south Maubeuge , and the

ar other two will soon be with them . French has r at ived his headquarters .

“ A u us t 18th 1914 i -da g , . The curtain is l fted to y and people begin to realise what an extraordinary thing has been done during the last ten days . The ffi b - poor old War O ce , which has been a y word ff u for ine iciency , has proved itself more than p - to date : for which the credit is mainly due to Hal

o f . dane and the Committee Defence The Navy , to o : r , has been admirable not a single to pedo has slipped through either end Ofthe channel .

I am disgusted with the optimism o fthe Press i and other people , bel eving all the nonsense about great Belgian victories and the Germans already

o r demoralised and starving committing suicide . — — b All that has gone o n so far except at L ieg e is

o f d a mere affair outposts , and it looks to ay as if the Germans were going to occupy Brussels . The splendid thing the Belgians have done is to stop them on their road and throw o ut the whole of

- O ur their time table . force is by this time for the [ 82] AN AUTOB IOGRAPHY

J most part in its proper place . I met ules Cam bon - at the French Embassy to day . He says the

vaniteux et os eur was Kaiser, who is p , overborne l by the mi itarists and Bismarckian reactionaries ,

o f also by j ealousy the Crown Prince . He has a

‘ poor opinion Of Bethmann Hollweg un homme — tres mediocre en meme temp s bourg eois et cour

’ tis au—combin s Ja ow ais on mauvai e. He told g at their last interview that the Germans would be

‘ — les ua" beaten conquered as Napoleon was , by de

’ P uiss anc s intan ibl s — e g e England and Russia .

“ 1 h A u 1 914 9t us t . k g , Kitchener thin s the Ger mans are going in fo r a large enveloping movement which will enable them to have a dash at the French positions between Lille and Maubeuge . He is very h good on these t ings , and predicted this a week ago , when all the French officers declared it was imp o s

is o sible . He very useful in Council n his own and ” kindred topics and most pleasant to work with .

No t liking to be separated long from my hus band I left Anthony and travelled from Scotland 23 d to London on the r of August .

I will quote from my diary of the events which followed . MARGOT ASQUITH

Au us t 24th 1 91 4 . g , “ 24th On August , Henry came into my room

’ looking very grave : he read me Sir John French s telegram and added

‘ Bad news , the Germans have taken Namur .

’ We ve been driven back with the French . Terrible

fighting since Saturday . We shall have an awful

cann t n list o fcasualties . I o u derstand how Namur

’ can have fallen if it s as strongly fortified as we are told . The position now is very serious , I must

’

K . o ur . go and see , and then we have Cabinet

“ The news came as a thunderclap to me : it

o ur seemed terrible to think that the first time fresh , wonderful troops were in battle they should have had to retreat . Henry told me K . had cursed and sworn when he read the telegram and that he ! Henry ) much feared the French had been o ut generalled and wondered if o ur Army had been

Off cut . J w General Sir ohn Cowans , who lunched ith us , said

‘ ’ I expect we ve lost about men all told

’ ’ if so it s very good . “ Appalled by his statement I asked if this would i be considered good , to which he repl ed [84] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

! Ah Mrs . Asquith , the losses in this war will

fo r be tremendous every one . I am afraid the French have been too dashing or wrong in their

’ strategy .

“ Knowing from Headquarters that o ur Army had been forced to retreat we waited all the after

o ur o ff noon to hear whether men had been cut .

“ n After an interrupted di ner, for which we did not dress , Henry and all of us sat in his Sitting room upstairs like people in a Maeterlinck play , saying either trivial things o r nothing at all .

and ! Henry I , Arthur Asquith , the Harcourts ,

‘ my dear friend E rnley Blackwellfi Sir Eric Drum mond and the other Secretaries . )

“ Cabinet Mini ster after Cabinet Minister walked u in unanno nced , and with anxious faces asked if there had been any further telegrams .

“ m eu Eric Drum ond, who had left us to make

uiries q , returned

‘ ’ ‘ r They say , Sir , he said , a despatch has ar ived

’ fli e and is being deciphered in the War O c .

“ On hearing this Henry left us and went down to the Cabinet room . I followed him and stood at

to o f the p the stair watching anxious Ministers ,

B ru ffi Sir ley Blackwell ! Home O ce). MARGOT ASQUI TH

and groups o fofficials waiting and talking in the f ac . corridor, while Eric ran b k to the War O fice I

j oined Henry , whom I found alone ; I sat in silence while he ran through a mass of papers .

“ Eric Drummond told us on his return that the

deciphered message had gone to Lord Kitchener ,

one o r but that no knew where he was , what was

a hi in the telegr m . At t s Henry looked furiously angry : the door opened and various officials came

into the room . “ Everyone spoke at the same time

‘ Why was a bed and bath put into the W ar ffi ’ ?’ O ce if K . doesn t sleep there ‘ i A t ’ I hear he was d ning with r hur Balfour,

i : someone said , at wh ch someone else exclaimed

‘ I doubt if he or anyone else could keep Arthur 1 1 ’ ’ up after O clock .

“ A voice o fmore authority suggested that as Lady Wantage had lent Kitchener her house we should telephone to him there ; at which Eric Drum mond went into the other room and took up the

: telephone , some of us following I am the P rime

’ o u? Y e Minister s Secretary . Who are y s yes the butler ? all right tell Lord

MARGOT ASQUITH

o ur against men , and asked him if this were pos sible :

: o e Yes , he said they are three to n , if not ” s more , again t our poor fellows . On the next poster I read

“ ” Indians come to help ; and when I asked if this was true he said

“ al It was decided at the Cabinet yesterday , though Lord Roberts was not at all keen about it : o ur native troops that were going to Egypt will now land at Marseilles as we think we must have ” every man in France . On o ur return from the motor drive I found u every one f rious with Kitchener . They told me that one o four officers had come back that morn ing from the front suffering from a slight wound and had asked to see Lord Kitchener . The latter enquired whether he had come from General

French , and hearing that he had not , said “ Then arrest him !

i w R o S unda Tim es In connect on ith this , Lady oberts wr te to the y ! where some of the account was published) casting a doubt on my o f accuracy, suggesting that it conveyed a wrong impression her ’ f fo r e f . I ather s love , and b lie in , the Indian Army do not think my husband or any other man ever doubted the devotion Lord Roberts f r a had o India or the Army . He may have been mist ken about Lord ’ R obe rts s I views , but can only quote what he said to me, and the above account o f our conversation he has verified from personal notes taken at the time . [88] AN AUTOB IOGRAPHY

’

o n K . s It was an interesting sidelight methods , but as we had been fighting from the 22nd till the

27th o f o f of August , and knew none the names o ur o r dead wounded , it seemed both autocratic

no t and foolish to get all possible information , and

ul from anyone we co d . - We Spent the week end o fAugust the 30th at

’ my brother Frank s place , Lympne , in Kent . We had had no news from Sir John French and a telegr am we received from the President o fthe French Republic filled us with apprehension ; thi s was followed by a long message from Lord Kitch ener o fsuch a confidential character that o n re ceiving it we motored up to London on Sunday

r night , a riving in Downing Street at two in the morning . At the Cabinet meeting next day my husband took a momentous decision in which the honour o f

England was involved , and if this advice had been disregarded he would have resigned . Lord Kitchener was sent on a secret mission to

France to tell Sir John French that o ur army was not to move away from Paris , and to persuade him f to take the o fensive as soon as possible .

f89l' MARGOT ASQUITH

S e tember 3rd 1 91 4 . p ,

3rd o f r On the September, Hen y came into my bedroom :

Nothing can be more serious than our position ,

“ he said , indeed the whole situation at the front . The French Government has left Paris and gone to Bordeaux . On the 8th I copied this telegram from our Am bas s ado r in Paris , which Henry showed me for my Diary ‘

S e t 8th 1 91 4 . p . , Secret

E ! BORD AU . French Minister at Bucharest has been in formed secretly that German Kaiser has written to King of Roumania ; that from report o fGerman

General , German troops will have crushed Franco — British Forces in 20 days he will then leave German troops in occupation of France ” and will turn his attention to Russia .

I will end this chapter by quoting an account out o fmy diary of the only visit I paid to the Front

in the Great War .

r e Si Francis B erti . [90]

MARGOT ASQUITH

o ur r r counted for se pentine route , and our ar ival being delayed by over an hour .

“ n ar It was Arctic cold whe we rived , but I

: wore sensible clothes leather breeches and coat , a

ersev j over my blouse , a short serge skirt , a Belgian soldier ’s black forage-cap and a spotted fur over Al l - coat . very ugly but business like . “ We took untold time to pass through the locks i into Dunk rk Harbour . There we were met by a private chauffeur and the best Benz motor I have ever driven in , both smooth and powerful . Our Belgian drove us at a shattering pace o n sheer and l S ippery roads . Maj or Gordon was more than resourceful and

: o f t kind quite unfussy , and thinking every hing beforehand . “ We drove straight from the Harbour to Milly

’ Sutherland s Hospital .

“ There among the wounded I saw Arab , Indian and Moor soldiers lying in Silence side by side . The distant expression of their mysterious eyes filled me with a profound pity , nor could they speak any understandable language to their nurses or doctors . “ After leaving the Hospital we went on to the

Lady Millicent Hawes . [92] AN AUTOBIO GRAPHY

Headquarters o fthe Belgian Army where we were

‘ ’ met by General Tom Bridges , the heart and soul ,

o f A as we were told , the Belgian rmy and in many

ways a remarkable man .

“ He gave us o ur passwords and passports for

‘ ’

. 6 m 6 .m . . a the next two days Antoine from p . to ,

‘ ’ 6 a m 6 m and Cassel from . . to p . .

L a P ann e B el ium , g , b r 1 14 ecem e 9 . D , “ We had a repelling meal in a dirty restaurant

’ at Furnes before arrivin g at King Albert s Head

quarters . “ It was 4 O ’clock and in drenching rain when

’ re we reached La Panne . The King s household ceiv ed me with courtesy and cordiality in a brick and wooden house built o n the sand dunes by the - sea . The villa was like a lodging house at Little

— fo r stone pegs hats and coats in a tiny hall , with

a straight short wooden stair and no carpets . It

was bald , and low, and could only put up seven

: o ne people two menservants , housemaid , a cook

and ourselves . “ - ’ Comtesse Caraman Chimay , the Queen s lady in- waiting, is a delightful woman with fine man [93] MARGOT ASQUITH

r ners, and a g eat deal of nature and kindness . The

—a Offi Master Of the Horse , M . Davreux cavalry cer in the Household—helped the servants to bring my things upstairs into a hideous bedroom , where

I was glad enough to retire . “ t We messed in the kitchen . The only other Si

- r -fired ting room in the house was a wa m , open - smoking room , where we sat after dinner . I was relieved not to have to walk in the rain 200 yards

o n to dine with the King the night of my arrival , as I was too tired to move .

“ r We dined early in fur coats , ski ts and shirts ; and all went to bed at after an interesting general conversation upon the war and various other topics .

“ My bald bedroom had neither curtains , blinds ,

o n nor shutters , and I put a j ersey over my night

Ou gown . On one side the windows looked to a sort Of sand railway , covered with trucks and scat

tered o n . villas , and the other to the sea Telephone and telegraph wires connected all the villas together and glass doors Opened out on to brick paths ; the whole place was sunny but bleak , and exposed to every gale .

“ Luckily for me it was a glorious day when I [94]

MARGOT ASQUITH

o f look their Kings and Queens , imitation being the sincerest form Of flattery .

“ It was no t till he congratulated me on having a remarkable husband , and alluded in touching

’ terms to Henry s speech o n him and the sorrows

in Of Belgium that I suspected who he was . I stantl t y got up and cur sied to the ground , at which he smiled rather sadly, and , the Queen interrupting - us , we all went into the dining room .

“ We had an excellent lunch of soup , roast beef, potatoes , and a sweet flavoured with coffee .

“ I found the King easy and delightful ; both wise , uncomplaining, and real . He has no swag ger , and is keen and interested in many things . I told him I had bought several photographs o fhim to sign for me to take back to England , but they all had dark hair . He said it was clever o fthe photographer to give him any hair at all , as he was

and getting balder daily , felt that everything about him was both dark and bald .

“ He told me , among other things , that the Ger mans had trained off to Germany all his wife ’s

own clothes and underclothes , and all his wine , adding

‘ As I drink nothing, this is no loss to me , but [96] P hoto by 3 0996

M 8 8. AS QU ITH

MARGOT ASQUITH

’ o fLord and Lady Lansdowne to put o n their boy s grave at Ypres , where we ultimately arrived .

“ n The Ypres cemetery will hau t me for ever . NO hospital of wounded or dying men could have gi ven me a greater insight into the waste of War

n than that dripping, gau t and crowded church yard . There were broken bits O fwood stuck in the grass at the head of hundreds Of huddled graves , i with Engl sh names scrawled upon them in pencil .

Off Where the names had been washed , forage caps

o ne were hanging , and they were all placed against the other as closely as possible . I saw a Tommy i digg ng, and said

‘ ’ Who is that grave for ? He answered without stopping or looking at me ‘ For the next f Two English o ficers , holding their caps in their hands , were standing talking by the side of an open grave , and single soldiers were dotted about all over the cemetery .

“ a a e Maj or Gordon , who had borrowed sp d , asked me if I would help him by holding the cross upright , which I was only too glad to do till we had

finished .

“ All the time I was standing in the high wet [98] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY grass I thought of the Lansdownes and my heart went out to them .

“ Suddenly a fusillade o fguns bur st upon o ur l i ears . It seemed as if some Of the shel s m ght hit us at any moment, they were so near and loud .

Aeroplanes circled over our heads , and every soldier

n in the cemetery put o his cap and rushed away .

“ An f excited Belgian O ficer , with a few other

to men , ran up to me and pointing a high mound ,

ot said would I n like to see the German guns , as

nce one could only die o . “ As Maj or Gordon had left me to go to a further cemetery , I was glad enough to accompany them .

“ Frightfully excited and almost deafened by the Crack ! Crack ! ! Boom ! ! I tore up to the top of the hill with the officer hold ing my elbow . Had it not been for a faint haze over the land

r n scape I could have seen eve ything distinctly . Thi i white l nes of smoke , like poplars in a row, stood o ut against the horizon , and I saw the flash of

r un eve y German g . My companion said that if the shells had been coming o ur way they would have gone over our heads ; the German troops , he ex plained , must have come on unknown to them in [99] MARGOT AS QUITH

the night , and he added he did not think that either

o r the Belgians , the British , the French knew at all what they were up to . “ f A French O ficer , looking furious , arrived pant ing up the hill and coming up to me said I was to go down immediately and remain under the shelter o fthe Hospital walls . Two Belgian soldiers who

to had j oined us , asked me if I was not afraid stand in the open so close to the German guns .

I said not more than they were , at which we all smiled and shrugged o ur shoulders ; and the French officer took me down the hill to the Hospital quad rangle , where I waited for Maj or Gordon . “ The clatter of the guns was making every pane in every window shiver and rattle till I thought they must all break , and sitting in our motor , writ

u ing my diary , I felt how much I sho ld have hated

fighting .

“ A French sentry after eyeing me for some time , came up and presented me with his stomach-belt of blue cashmere . I thanked him warmly and gave

Six o o f him boxes f Woodbine cigarettes , which

I had brought an enormous quantity . A Belgian

off e t Tommy , on seeing this , took his whit bel and [ 1 00]

MARGOT ASQUITH

General Nicholson j umped up white as a sheet -- and said to his brother in law

‘ Go d ? Great , what will the Prime Minister say ’ ! I ve let you in , my dear Gordon but I assure

’ you , Mrs . Asquith , we ve not had a shell or a shot

here for weeks past .

“ I reassured him as to his fears o fmy personal safety and asked him why the Ge rmans wasted

n o n u ammunitio such a desolate , in ndated spot , to which he replied : ‘ ! Pure accident But let me tell you , if there

had been no water, not a brick in this cottage would

o u have remained above ground , and neither y nor

- ! No w I would have had an eye lash left , Dopp ,

’ give us the tea .

“ After leaving o ur host we pursued o ur j ourney

and arrived at Merville , where I was the only woman among 20 men who sat down to dinner

that night with General Sir Henry Rawlinson . “ It is always a surprise to an amateur why Gen

erals f and Ministers have such large sta fs , and I have Often wondered if they are kept for orna

o ment , companionship , r use ; but expect it is an h unconscious form of vanity . All the time my us band was Prime Minister he never took a secretary [ 1 02] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

o r Old away with him either at home abroad , but in days I have known idle and rich young men travel f with a loader , a valet , a secretary , a coi feur and a d chiropo ist .

“ Sir Henry and I knew each other hunting in Leicestershire and he received us with cordial hos

italit p y . He not only gave us an excellent dinner

- o r which was very welcome as , except f tea and biscuits , we had had nothing to eat Since the early — morning but he gave up his o wn bedroom and

o f bath to me , an act courtesy for which I shall ever be grateful .

“ I was glad to observe how popular my chaperon , — Maj or Gordon , was wherever we went nor was I

e surprised , as a bett r looking, better hearted , more capable and devoted person I have seldom met .

o 1 4th 1 91 4 We left Merville n December the , , at in the morning, and arrived at Havre that

“ night . On looking at the boisterous choppy sea I made up my mind that nothing would induce me to

so spend twelve hours upon it , after a peaceful night we motored back to Boulogne . “ m 7 a . . At the next morning we left , and got ” back the same night to London . [E nd ofDiary Quo ta tion] [ 103] MAR GOT ASQUITH

A S o f this book is not a history the war , I do not propose to write chronologically o fthe cam

ai n p g , but will end this chapter with a quotation

o 191 4 from my diary written on the last day f .

mb r 31 1 4 ece e s t 91 . D ,

“ o f 1 914 Although this is the last day the year , will any o fus have the heart to talk o fa happy

e - New o n to morrow . When I opened my Bible to night my eye rested on this text :

‘ Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and o fthe sea ! for the devil is come down with you having great wrath , because he knoweth that he hath but ’ — . 1 2. a short time Rev . xii ,

“ This is an accurate description o fwhat is hap

n - w a peni g to day in this frightful war , ith its ero - i planes , submarines , poison gas , grave digg ng bombs , and general massacre and mutilation . But are we sure that it is only for a short time ? or that the devil was not among us before ? No people have ever so far departed from the Spirit Of d Christ as the Germans Of to ay , but we ourselves had been moving somewhat in the same direction .

“ Before the war we had our Frightfulness .

We observed tepid , passionless young people ex [ 104]

CHAPTER III

INFLU E E P — M RS TH SHU NNED NC OF THE RESS . ASQUI - AS PRO GERMAN THE COALITION L L OYD — GEORGE AND SHELLS DUPLICITY OF SIR JO HN — FRENC H PORTRAIT OF LORD READ ING

erfuncto CANNOT avoid writing , however p

nl rily , of some of the events which led not o y

o f to the resignation my husband , but to the down fall o fa Party which had smashed the Unionists in 1 906 by the biggest maj ority ever known , which had won three successive General Elections , and which had been led for a longer period than any

o ur in political history by the same Prime Minister . This is a matter of such delicacy that fo r o b vions reasons I shall not always be able to give

o f d nor the names those chiefly concerne , shall I deal in any great detail with the matter . There is a common saying that public opinion

“ is usually right , backed by the proverb , There is no smoke without fire but j udging by my o wn

re experience , I can only say I have found the [1 06] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY verse to be true : there is always a great deal of smoke and very little fire .

l fo r Since the days of Pilate , the popu ace shout the wrong man and you need only observe the transitoriness o ffashion or of fame to see how little

i o f publ c opinion is worthy consideration . It would almost seem as if there was a floating

o f i l fabric ev l playing perpetual y over crowds , instigating anonymous and threatening letters ; starting rumours ; casting doubts ; spreading what appeals to the lowest instincts of the credulous and - ill informed , and scattering from a busy mint false coms to the People and the Press . I do not think there was any particular dislike

“ fo r Christ among the people who shouted , Give ” us B arabbas ! and some o fthem adored Him ; but if you listen closely you will hear men and women

“ j oining each other all through life saying : Give us Barrabas ! and you will be fortunate if you meet even a dozen people in life who hold and express an independent view . It suits the average human i being to believe the worst , and thinking on th ngs of good report gi ves them no sort o fpleasure . Bacon says MARGOT ASQUITH

’ mn Tis not the lie that passeth through the i d , ” si k th but the li e that n e that doth the harm .

In times of great physical and moral strain , or

trifles . intense mental excitement , become portents In the y ear 1 91 5 the recurring failures o four

f o f o O fensive , and want proper c ordination in the

General Staff , provoked adverse criticism of the conduct of the war . The silence SO conspicuous in

1 91 4 the had disappeared , and patience of the public was ebbing . It was at this moment that the lie that sinketh was spread . “ — Wait and see a phrase originally uttered as m a threat by my husband in the House of Co mons ,

o was taken up by a group finfluential newspapers , and quoted upon every occasion as meaning apathy

re u and delay . It is not difficult to perceive the p j dice this created in the minds o fmen and women whose brothers , sons and lovers were being killed in a conflict that touched our shores ; and it gave a great opening to ambitious men who fancied that if they were in the position o fPrime Minister f things would be very di ferent . In years o fWar the Press if it desires to inflame - the rabble rousers has powers which it possesses [1 08]

MARGOT ASQUITH and will quote what I wrote in my diary at that time

“ The D s s of W and others continue spreading amazing lies about me and mine : they would be grotesque if they were not so vile . “ Elizabeth is in turn engaged to a German Ad

o r miral , a German General ; Henry has shares in

‘ Krupps ; I feed Prussian prisoners with every ’ n dainty and comestible , and play lawn te nis with — them at Donningt on Hall a place whose very

n whereabouts is unknow to me .

“ These private fabrications are not only circu

m re lated but believed , and had it not been for y ceiving for a libel action which I took in the

lo b r the Law Courts against the G e Newspape , whole o four thoughtful Press would have pub li h s ed . them As it is , they mutter incantations

‘ ’ ‘ ’ about the Hidden Hand , Apathy in high places ,

‘ ’ etc . , and like Pilate , willing to content the people ,

Barabbas is released . “ I am told by John Morley and other students n of History , that no greater campaign of calum y was ever conducted agains t one man than that w is hich has been , and being, conducted against

- out indi my husband to day . When I point with g [ 1 1 0] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY nation that someone in the cabinet is betraying secrets , I am counselled to keep calm . Henry is as ff t ’ indi erent o the Press as St . Paul s Cathedral is

! nl to midges , but I confess that I am not and I o y hope the man responsible for giving information to Lord N will be heavily punished : God may ” forgive him ; I never can . [E nd ofDia ry Quotation]

As Lord Kitchener , Sir Edward Grey and my husband were the most powerful men in the Gov

ernment . , they were the chief victims of this abuse Had they been as sensitive to the papers as Lord

ef Rosebery, Lord Derby , or Lord Curzon , some fort might have been made to stop the divulgence o f Cabinet secrets , but they were harassed with l work , and only thinking of how to keep the A lies together and win the war . We should never have been told to love o ur neighbours in the Bible had it not been a matter o fdifficulty : and although it is probable that if we could have given more information and with greater

o f rapidity what was happening at the Front , we im should have satisfied people at home , it was possible to let the public into o ur confidence when [1 1 1 ] MARGOT ASQUITH working with Allies as different from ourselves as the French , the Russians , and the Italians . Violent

“ ” in quarrels in what is called the Silent Service , i trigue in the Army , and disloyalty at home , obl ged l 1 91 5 us to form the Coa ition of . ’ i Men s m nds were distraught , their nerves Shat tered i , and their hearts broken by the trag c events

o ur that were taking place close to shores , rumours o f which were received on the same day , and the patriotism and reserve Shown at the outbreak of war were gradually evaporating. A Coalition may suit other nations but it does not suit Great Britain . The Parliamentary groups which govern France and other countries do not lend themselves to stability , and we have lived to see the failure o ftrying to govern men either by

o r Autocracy Bureaucracy .

In England we have evolved fo r ourselves from long political experience the system of Party Gov ernment by a corporate conscience which we not only understand , but which has been the envy of the world . The esprit de corps which is essential in a Cabinet presents no attractions to a Coalition , and ours was conspicuously lacking in it . [1 12]

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

10 D o wnin S treet Jul 1 91 5 . g , y,

o f Intrigue every kind arose , due to the impa tience t O f of the frightened , the creduli y the fools , and the ambition of our friends . Some men and women not only like but live i f upon Gossip . With a sm le of welcome they pro fer yo u o ne hand while concealing a stiletto in the

o f other , and without knowing it the whole tenor their talk is hearing false witness against their neighbours . These are they who sin against the

Holy Ghost .

o f My husband , although an excellent j udge men

in and events , despised suspicion , and abhorred trigue . I read the following sentence somewhere

S us icious p are like bats amongst birds , they ” ever fly by twilight ; and it was not until the lst o fJ 1 915 l uly , , that I realised there was a de iberate attempt being made by the Press and certain per sons to entangle the Prime Mini ster in a mis c ievo h us personal controversy .

o fJ 191 5 On the l st uly , , a friend of Mr . Lloyd

’ Geo rge s and a member o fParliament moved a resolution in the House that it would be expedient that all powers exercised by the Ordnance Depart [ 1 13] MARGOT ASQUI TH ~ ment o fthe War Office under the control of Gen — eral von Donop in respect Of the supply o fmuni tions of war shoul d be transferred to the new Minis

O try fMunitions then under the command of Mr .

Lloyd George . In the course of a violent attack upon the Gov ernm ent he said that “ By its scandalous neglect of the most elemen tary considerations o fwarfare and its innumerable blunders it had seriously endangered the security ” of the country ; and wound up a virulent speech with :

“ The history o fthe Ordnance Department is failure in the past , chaos in the present and hope lessness for the future . We demand that the new Ministry should assume all the power o fthis De p artment in regard to the supply of munitions and that the Ordnance Department should be ” o robbed Ofevery vestige fits authority .

Times The , being the only paper to publish a verbatim report the next morning, must have been given that speech before it was delivered , and the author dined with Mr . Lloyd George on the night of the attack . Private Members being commissioned to defame [ 1 14 ]

MARGOT ASQUITH

’ Lord H aldane s version o fwhat took place some months ago at a Committee of the Cabinet o n Arms is incomplete and in some material respects

s inaccurate . At the proper time it will be nece sary to go more fully into the matter , though Mr . Lloyd George hopes that he will not be driven to do SO at this stage . But he would like to point out that the very fact o fthis conflict of memory having arisen shows the unwisdom of these partial and nu authorised disclosures o f the decisions o f highly confidential Committees of the Cabinet .

Here Mr . Lloyd George was right . Nothing of a confidential nature should ever be disclosed , either in public or in private , and whoever flattered the Press by giving away Cabinet Secrets at that time Showed personal treachery Ofa kind fortun ately rare in British politics ; but he was wrong about

’ H aldane Lord s memory .

to I wrote congratulate Haldane on his courage , and in his answer , which I received the same day

8 o fJ : ! the th uly , he ended

“ S O long as I have breath in my body Officers who are misrepresented in public and are unable to de fend themselves shall no t be attacked with im i ” pun ty . [ 1 16] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

On the l oth he came to see me and said “ X and Co . are out to smash the Prime

Minister, but Grey and I intend to stand On each ” side o fhim to protect him from such baseness . A few days before this Lord French had sent a message to ask if he could see me . We had not met

o f Since the formation the Coalition , and as the whole cruel campaign about the shells had arisen from someone at his Headquarters falsifying the truth by supplying the Press with misleading in

no t formation , I was at all anxious to meet him ; but it takes me longer than most people either to suspect or to drop Old friends , so I gave way .

Confronted by my questions , Lord French

o f f blandly denied all knowledge the shell a fair , but he appeared dej ected and confused , and after a painful interview we parted . Haunted by his look of misery and knowing f what he must be su fering over the war, I wrote him “ - ” a letter to wish him God speed , and this is his answer : MARGOT ASQUITH

A TERS HEADQU R ,

“ SH R BRITI A M Y,

“ E FRANC ,

Jul 13th 1915 . y ,

MY E R MRS AS ITH D A . QU ,

one i I am sending l ne by F . Guest to thank you fo r the very kind letter I g ot from you before I left

o f England the other day . It was so nice and kind

o u y to let me see you , and I loved having a talk

‘ with you although you gave me a terrible Damn ing ! ’ We were delighted to have the Prime Min

ister with us again . Please write me a line when

you have time .

Yours always sincerely,

“

E H . J . D . P . FR NC

This was followed up by several letters o fsuch f gratitude and a fection to my husband and myself ,

that although I was puzzled , my suspicions were

allayed . It needs a mean nature to think Of yourself when events of such tragic importance were taking place

all over the world , and none of us was allowed to know at the time what Henry felt about the

r daily attacks upon himself . Th ough all those silent [ 1 18]

MARGOT ASQUITH

ale u Col . Lockwood , a gen ine Conservative of the

s m highest type , wrote in an wer to a letter of ine :

“ Did I not tell yo u how all would some day P M ? recognise how great a man vour . . was While I listened to his speech in the House o fCommons the other day I wondered if some saw the light at last .

Yours ever , dear kind friend ,

“ MARK LOCKW OOD .

10 D wnin S treet A u us t 3rd 191 5 . o g , g , The night before the first anniversary of the

3rd 1 915 . war , the Of August , , Lord Kitchener , Mr

s C Bonar Law , Mr . Win ton hurchill , my sister

’ Lucy and Lord D A bern o n dined with me ; my hus band and Elizabeth were to arrive the next day from the country . Having heard o fthe death o fBilly I felt like cancelling all engagements , but fearing this would inconvenience my guests , I went down to dinner with a heavy heart . In less than six months Lord and Lady Des borough had lost their two sons ; young men o f25

Lord Lambourne . TThe Hon . William Grenfell . [ 120] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

28 i and , who comb ned all that life can give of courag e , brains and good feeling, and I could hardly think o fthem without tears . I would like to write o fthese and others that I

e loved who w re killed in the war ; Charles Lister , J ohn Manners , Edward Horner , George Vernon ,

Eustace Crawley and Rupert Brooke , but the list of the dead that I cared for, and the parents I mourned with would be too long to put in any single volume . While discussing the Grenfell brothers with Lord w Kitchener at dinner that night , I said ith impulse that I thought faith should be rewarded in this

fo r world by more knowledge , and that I longed ’ — one glimpse o f God s purpose if only a gleam o fhope as to our sure immortality . The expres

’ sion on Lord Kitchener s face was o ne of puzzled

e me kindn ss , and he handed the port . To hide my emotion he turned abruptly to the table and , chang ing the subj ect , said we had only ourselves to thank for the failures in the war . “ The Germans attack us and we wait to counter

“ : Y o u attack them . This is madness ; he said must

o r do it at once , while your enemy is exhausted , if

’ can t you , you should reform your plans with de [ 121 ] MARGOT ASQUITH

to o liberation and slowly ; but wait , and then c un - ” ter attack impulsively, is to court disaster .

Mr . Churchill asked him which he would rather

c m have under his om and , English , French or Ger man troops : he said that after the English he thought the Germans were the best soldiers : Win ston said he thought the French were superior ; to this Lord Kitchener—who had fought in the - — Franco Prussian War demurred , but both he and the whole company were agreed that in attack the

French Army had not a rival in the world . We went o n to discuss what form the Memorial

’ Service for the anniversary of the war at St . Paul s

o n Cathedral should take the next day . Lord

Kitchener said .

“ The clergy are the most conservative , tiresome , unimagi native men to deal with that I have ever come across ; I suggested all sorts of things to them :

‘ ’ proper hymns like Eternal Father Strong to Save ,

‘ ’ and Onward Christian Soldiers , but they would not list en to me : I want this service to be a great recruiting occasion . The Archbishop could , in a short sermon , stir up the whole congregation , which would be a far better way Of doing things than all ” this intrigue about Conscription . [ 122]

MARGOT ASQUITH

’ - employers profits ; an English speaking nation ” To o proud to fight ; and the only contribution

o f a great Church , the canonisation of Charles I I thought of the Fighting and the Dead ; of Julian and Billy Grenfell ; o fLord Kitchener handing me the port ; and came to the conclusion that if it is

Go d hard to believe in , it is no easier to believe in

man .

Before I left London for Scotland in the late

o f1915 autumn , and after a painful political Ses

sion , I received a charming letter , dated August 2 91 5 o 1 . t o e th , , from Mr Bonar Law in answer o n

from me , in which I asked him if nothing could be done to prevent Cabinet secrets being published

in the Press , which I said was not only doing my

husband and the Cabinet incalculable mischief , but

hampering the conduct of the war .

“ ” I am strongly of Opinion , he wrote , that the Times should not be allowed to go o n day by day discrediting the Government in a way which most certainly is damaging the country in the pro secu

rt o f tion o f the war . There was an oppo unity raising the question in the cabinet to-day and I

pressed it as much as I could . It was decided that [ 124 ] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY Carson and the Lord Chancellor should look into l ” the question , and I hope that it will be dea t with .

The matter , however , never was dealt with .

10 ownin S treet Jul 191 6. D g , y,

O u 5th o fJ the uly , I received a letter from " Raymond A squithfi written from outside the

Ypres salient , that curious strategic position that whether from British obstinacy o r foreign pressure — I do no t know our Army occupied at such tragic

cost and for so long a time .

Jul 5th 1916. y ,

E S MARG DEAR T OT ,

“ I was delighted to get your excellent letter with its capital news that Puffhas got his scholarship ; he will enj oy Winchester much more than Summer

s field . What you say Of the snobbery of some soldiers is appallingly true ! If yo u look at any

’ list of honours , it s always the same story . The

o f Dukes are proved to be the bravest men all , and

’ after them the Marquesses . We ve been having

stirring times these last months . We were rushed - up in motor buses in the middle o fo ur rest as an

i 3rd . Raymond Asqu th, Grenadier Guards MARGOT ASQU ITH

“ emergency measure to relieve the Canadians after - their counter attack at Hooge . We took over what was in effect a battlefield and an untidy one at

that . Mined trenches , confluent craters , bodies and

Of bits bodies , woods turned into a wilderness of stubby blackened stumps and a stink o fdeath and corruption which was supernaturally beastly . The Canadians fought extremely well and are brave and enterprising, but they are deficient in system and routine . No troops can be first rate unless they are punished fo r small faults and get their

fr meals with regularity . The Canadians are e

r quently famished and never rebuked , whe eas the — Brig ade Of Guards are gorged and d d the whole time . We stayed among the smells for a week .

“ I had a narrow escape one night . I had taken a man with me to inspect the barbed wire in front of o ur trench and when we were 40 yards out we found ourselves suddenly illuminated by the glare of dozen German rockets . We bobbed down behind a lump o fearth and the next moment a bomb burst a yard away ; I was spattered all over but not hurt . We have 10 more days to get through these [126]

MARGOT ASQUITH and wise ; with a power o floving those he cared ff for which I find rare . In spite of the su erings - that o ur contemptible spy hunters caused him dur in no o ne g the War, was ever more loyal or gen erous u to the co ntry of his adoption .

He and I had many mutual friends , among them the present Viceroy o fIndia . Rufus Reading is o ne of the best fellows that

no o f ever lived . He has trace hardness , and though

Jew i s ambitious is never selfish . By race a , he

o r British to the core , neither touchy , restless sus

icio us p , but combines wisdom with caution and has

o the laugh fan English schoolboy . What attracts me in him is his untireable capacity fo r simple en

o ment j y , his gravity and insight , and a critical faculty that never cuts . Although an admiring

o f al friend the present Prime Minister, he has ways been grateful for the affection and friendship my husband showed him over the Marconi incident , nor has he ever neglected to prove this gratitude . He has consulted Henry throughout his career and

their friendship cannot lessen now . After leaving Bognor we returned to the Wharf for the remainder of the holidays . [ 1 281 M R . ASQU ITH A N D H IS SO N ANTHO NY AT TH E W H ABF

MARGO T ASQUI TH

‘ —o f servant whom Elizabeth said , He makes per feet ladies of us all ’ —came in to say that I was wanted .

“ I left the room , and the moment I took up the

‘ ’ telephone I said to myself, Raymond is killed .

“ With the receiver in my hand , I asked what it was , and if the news was bad .

“ ‘ Our secretary , Davies , answered , Terrible, ter h rible news . Raymond was shot dead on the 1 5t .

o f Haig writes full sympathy , but no details . The Guards were in and he was Shot leading his men

’ the moment he had gone over the parapet .

“ I put back the receiver and sat down . I heard

’ o f Elizabeth s delicious laugh , and a hum talk and smell o fcigars came down the passage from t he - dining room . “ - I went back into the sitting room .

‘ ’ ‘ Raymond is dead , I said , he was shot leading

’ n his men over the top o Friday .

“ P uffin got up from his game and hanging his head took my hand ; Elizabeth burst into tears , for though she had not seen Raymond Since her re turn from Munich she was devoted to him . Maud Tree and Florry Bridges suggested I should put

O fftelling Henry the terrible news as he was happy . [130 ] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

I walked away with the two children and rang the bell ‘ Tell the Prime Mini ster to come and speak to

’ me , I said to the servant .

“ Leaving the children , I paused at the end of - the dining room passage ; Henry opened the door and we stood facing each other . He saw my thin

: wet face , and while he put his arm round me I said

‘ ’ Terrible , terrible news . At this he stopped me and said

‘ ’

k . I now . I ve known it Raymond is deadf “ He put his hands over his face and we walked ” into an empty room and sat down in silence . [E nd ofDiary Quo tation] CHAP TER IV — CABINE T INTRIGUE S P RESSURE O N THE P RE M IE R ASQUITH RESIGNS ; LLOYD GEORGE SUCCEEDS — - H I M EPISODE AT A TE A PARTY ; HARSH TRE AT M E NT OF AL IE NS

10 D wn n t 1 i S reet ecember 916. o g , D , HAVE outlined the beginning o fthe intrigue

’ which led to my husband s resignation ; but althoug h I have kept a careful and precise record O fall that happened in the last months and weeks of the year 1 916 it is not my purpose to quote the conversations o r correspondence either public or

v pri ate that led up to the final event . Had it not been that we are threatened with the publication of several memoirs upon the subj ect I would not have referred to it at all . The anonymous volumes which have already appeared are negligible ; as it is safe to assume when an author is ashamed to re

hi s veal name , the book is either written in the

’ s rv n and v e a ts hall , or by prejudiced confused ea es droppers . [ 132]

MARGOT ASQUITH

ecember 8rd 1 91 6. D ,

“ Asquith came back o n Sunday ; and that after noon the Unionist members O f the Government wrote him that they resigned if Lloyd George did .

In fact , they did send in their resignations , but withdrew them when Asquith replied that the mat d ” ter raise by Lloyd George was not settled .

’ None o fMr . Asquith s colleagues resigned ; nor

NO o ne did a Single member o fthem write to him . was more surprised than his Unionist colleagues when they were summoned to a meeting suddenly

3rd O f and unexpectedly called on Sunday , the — December to which Lord Lansdowne was not in v te i d . We were subsequently told that the writ ten 'decis io n taken at that meeting was torn up o n

10 re its way to Downing Street , and all that we ceived was a verbal message to the effect that some o f the colleagues wished the Prime Minister to resign . Given sufficient reason you will always find a high standard Of honour among certain kinds o f thieves , and personal ambition , after Love , is the strongest motive in life .

o ff s o u To bring a big thing with uccess , y must not only be highly prepared and choose your mo [134] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

o f ment , but you must be certain your men , and nothing interested me more in those Autumn manoeuvres than speculating upon the rewards

a d promised , n the motives that moved the men who were engaged upon them .

- o f To day I can write with calm these events , but at the time of their occurrence I was shocked

n nn and wou ded by the mea ess , ingratitude and lack o floyalty shown to a man who in all the years he had been Prime Minister had disproved these qualities in a high degree .

Mr . Lloyd George could never have formed his

o f 1 91 6 . Government in the December , had Mr

Balfour o r the Labour leaders refused to j oin it . It is at least probable that neither Lord Curzon

o r . Lord Robert Cecil , Mr . Walter Long Mr Aus ten Chamberlain would have served under the pres ent Prime Minister if their Old chief had stood o ut at that moment , and I doubt if Mr . Bonar Law or Lord Carson even with the assistance Of a large body of the Press , could have succeeded in the task . To transfer the allegiance o fthe maj ority o fthe Parliamentary Labour Party from one combina tion to another was easier of achievement after the pro mises made than I had supp osed , and Mr . Bal [ 135 ] MAR GOT ASQUITH

u four acq iesced . After this defection it would have

difii cult been , if not impossible, for my husband

o to carry n the Government . The Situation o four soldiers fighting abroad was ~ t o o anxious for him to contemplate fighting fo r him

o n 5th self at home , and the , after consultation with

other colleagues , he sent the King his resignation .

’ o T a man of Henry s type , the knowledge of what others were suffering would always preclude him

from thinking of himself, nor is it a topic he can

ever be accused of dwelling upon . It is certain that one Prime Minister could not have retained office

throughout the whole period of the War, and as

long as a war is won , it matters little to the right

o sort of Commander who claims the credit fr it . My husband fell o n the battlefield surroun ded b y civilians and soldiers whom he had fought for , and saved ; some Of whom owed him not only their r e eputations and careers , but their very existenc . Only a handful Of faithful men remained by his side

o r to see whether he was killed wounded , and on

7th o f Mr the December, . Lloyd George became i Pr me Minister . Among the many amusing and pathetic letters we r eceived at that time , was the following, from [ 136]

MARGOT A S QU ITH

nation and humanity , have proposed this morning

’ to the hostile Powers , Peace negotiations .

o ur I recog nised the voice of friend , Evelyn Fitz gerald . He ended by saying :

“ Tell o ur beloved Prime Minister that Jack Cowans wished him to know this ; we are all think ing o fhim at the War Office I can tell y ou ! I

’ o ur can t bear to hear he is ill . Give him love ” please . I got up an d walked down the passage to

’ Henry s room . As the Doctor had warned me that he was not

b o r to be othered by letters conversation , I hesi tated after opening his door

“ ” “ ’ Come in , he said , you don t disturb me .

I found him lying in bed wide awake . and his room was dark . I went to the window and read out loud the first

German Peace Proposal . h W en I had finished , he sat up and said

“ H o w I wish I could believe that someone would ” have the wits to keep this door aj ar .

After the amazing fables purposely spread and

’ foolishly believed , that my husband s conduct of the [ 138] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY f first two years o war was too slack ever to win it , it is instructive to remember that it was under his Administration that the Germans first prayed for ff Peace . General Ludendor confesses that by De

cember 1 916 . , , the Germans had lost the war

In Volume I of his War Memoirs he writes o f the Situation at the end O f1 91 6 :

We could not contemplate an Offensive our

o ur selves , having to keep reserves available for

o defence . There was no hope of a collapse fany

t o ur of the Entente Powers . If the war las ed , defeat seemed inevitable . Economically we were in a highly unfavour able position for a war o fex

h o ur . austion . At home strength was badly shaken - Questions o fthe supply o ffood stuffs caused great

‘ ’ o f m r l o a . anxiety and so , too , did questions We were not undermining the spirits o f the enemy

ro a populations with starvation , blockades and p p

nl co m ganda . The future looked dark , and our o y fort was to be found in defying a superior enemy and that our line was everywhere beyond our frontiers . MARGOT ASQUITH

A E i —1 n p so de 917.

W ar wi It might have been thought that , th its weeping nights and solitary mornings , would have silenced rumour ; that the fearing and faint at home would have been infected by the radiant

n hu and courageous abroad , and that such unk own man sufferings as the world went through in 191 4 ul wo d have made men kind ; but it was not so . From the first day the cry went up that we were

“ ” un o ut o ur to h t the Germans in midst , and you had only to suggest that the person you disliked for reasons either social or political had German blood or German sympathies and a witch-hunt was started as cruel and persistent as any in the 14th century . Our treatment o faliens was worse than that of

o . any f the Allies We crushed their business , ruined their homes , boycotted their families and drove their wives into asylums . Not a voice was raised from Christian pulpits ; but Prelates were photographed on gun-carriages chatting to sol diers on the glories o fbattle . Whatever other wars accomplished for other peo ple , ours did not make us good . A minor Minister was hounded out of public life [ 1 40]

MARGOT ASQUITH

“ ’

. v into the room) Well , Margot I suppose you e ” heard o fthis disgraceful affair ? f i ?” What a fa r said I .

“ : SECOND LADY Mrs . L H whose hus

in band is our Foreign Office , has been to see a Hun soldier in prison ! ”

“ I replied : Really ! Did she go to see him regu ” larly ?

’ ME : ! SA LADY Oh , I don t say that but quite often enough ! Someone told me She went three times last year . “ ?” Was he a friend of hers I asked .

H D - : T IRD LA Y ! in horror stricken voice ) Why ,

be ! No t bo most certainly was only the y , but I believe his mother also . Can you imagine any woman being a friend o fa German ? Or going to see the brutes ! It ’s really too disgusting ! While all o ur poor boys are being slaughtered .

“ ’ FOURT H LADY ‘ It makes one s blood boil ! W hat I say is , our sons will have died in vain if ” we ever forgive o r befriend a H un again .

r The e was a pause after this , broken by the first lady :

“ o u : r Well , Margot , y say nothing I st ongly sus peet yo u think she was right ! [ 142] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

! ” “ Not at all I answered . She was quite

wrong ; I think Mrs . L . H . ought to have gone far

Oftener to the prison . It was the least she could

’ have done if she was a friend of the boy s mother .

One day in 1 916 while I was serving tea to woun ded Tommies at a party gi ven by Lady Gar — vagh , which I did once a week , my hostess the — kindest o fwomen irrelevantly introduced me at

o ne . Of the long tables She said to the soldiers , stretching her arm in a gesture o fwelcome over the hot water urn : ui I am sure you will be glad to meet Mrs . Asq th — — the wife o fo ur Prime Minister you know who has so kindly come

At this I stopped her , and said to the men

“ I think it very kind Of yo u to let me come

’ o u here and give y tea at this concert . I can t sing,

’ o r o r t act , do any hing amusing, and I m sure some - one else ought to h ave been in my place to day . A typical West End lady at my elbow—also — pouring out tea interrupted me with emphasis ; and looking at the soldiers said

“ I am sure we are glad to meet Mrs . Asquith ; it will give yo u an opportunity of telling her how [143] MAR GOT ASQUITH you British soldiers were treated in the German ’ camps and prisons ; very difi erent from the way we treat the German prisoners I Suspecting nothing , and full of sympathy , said “ ! ff Ah yes , from what I hear you have all su ered Hell ! What terrible people the Germans seem to have become ! I can hardly bear to think O ftheir cruelty ! ” I had scarcely finished my sentence when I saw

’ the lady s eye gleam , and in an acid voice she said - i to a charming look ng Tommy , upon whom I was waiting : “ i ! All - Yes , ndeed of you were as ill treated in

Germany as their prisoners are pampered here . u Perhaps Mrs . Asq ith Should be informed a little ” about Donn ington Hall .

“ l J hn Bull I sudden y recognised the o touch , and was reinforced in my conviction by the look o facute Observation on the face of the soldier ; I said rather coldly to her “ k ? You may be right , but how do you now I i in have never visited a German sold er my life , nor

’ seen Donnington Hall ; I don t even know where it is

MARGOT ASQUITH

Alfred de Musset writes :

“ ’ Quoi ! tu n as pas d etoile et tu vas sur la mer !

au ! Au combat sans musique , voyage sans livre

’ ’ Quoi ! tu n as pas d amour et tu parles de vivre ! CHAPTER V

— , GER M AN P EACE OVERTURES LORD LANSDOWNE S — — LE TTER THE MAURICE LETTER FOC H AS — GENERALISSI M O HOUSE OF CO M M ONS DE BATE ON MAURICE C HARGE

20 Cavendish S uare 1 91 . q , 7 N the autumn of 1 917 I received a visit from

o ne of our footmen who was home upon leave . When I heard o fhis death a few weeks later I felt

: profoundly sad he was not only a friend of mine , but I was haunted by the memory o four last con versation . After asking him several questions a bout the progress Ofthe war he said

“ o u If y saw as many Germans as we do , you would know that none o fthem expect to break through to the coast . Is there anyone in England who thinks we are going to push the enemy back

’ ” a ? to Berlin , M am

n His question was u answerable , and it became clearer to me every day that the war could only end in o ne of three ways : Victory on the Battle

fields ; Conference ; o r Revolution . No sane man could imagine our Army pushing the Germans back [147] MARGOT ASQUITH

o ne ul to Berlin , and only an insane co d want

Revolution . - When my footman said Good bye , he told me with bitterness how much he and his brother sol diers loathed the war : how they neither wanted to

i o r k ll , be killed ; and implied that he would be only o ne more corpse to heighten the heap in the

O f interval , before anyone sufficient courage would come forward to suggest a temporary truce . One morning shortly after this o n the 29th o f i November my husband called me into his l brary .

Professor Gilbert Murray , Lord Charles Mon tagu and Lord Lansdowne were co ming to lunch 20 ’ at Cavendish Square and it was past one O clock .

I found him walking up and down . He put the D aily Teleg rap h into my hands saying

“ I would like yo u to read this quickly before ” n Lansdow e arrives . I sat down and read the following memorable letter addressed to the Editor and dated November

29th , 191 7

“ * S IR , We are now in the fourth year Of the most i dreadful war the world has known ; a war in wh ch , h ’ T is is a curtailed edition of Lord Lansdowne s letter .

MARGOT ASQUITH Of saving the world from a recurrence of the calam ity which has befallen this generation .

“ What , then , is it we want when the war is over ? I know of no better formula than that made by Mr . Asquith in the speeches which he has from time to time delivered . He has repeatedly told his hearers that we are waging war in order to obtain reparation and security . In the way of repara l tion much can be accomp ished , but the utmost effort to make good the ravages of this war must fall short and will fail to undo the grievous wrong which has been done to humanity . To end the war honourably would be a great achievement ; to pre vent the same curse falling upon o ur children would be a greater achievement still .

“ o ur o f This is avowed aim , and the magnitude

. Fo r the issue cannot be exaggerated , j ust as this war has been more dreadful than any in history , so we may be sure would the next be even more i dreadful than th s . The prostitution of science fo r the purpose Of pure destruction is not likely to stop Short . Most of us , however, believe that it should be possible to secure posterity against the repetition o fsuch an outrage as that of 1 91 4 . If

n the Powers will , u der a solemn pact , bind them [ 1 50] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY selves to submit future disputes to Arbitration ; if they will undertake to outlaw, politically and

o n e o f economically , any their number which re fuses to enter into such a pact , or to use their j oint military and naval forces for the purpose o fcoercing a Power which breaks away from the rest , they will have travelled far along the road which leads to security .

“ We are not going to lose this war , but its pro lo n atio n g will spell ruin for the civilised world , and an infinite addition to the load o fhuman suf erin f g which already weighs upon it .

“ to In my belief , if the war is be brought to a - close in time to avert a world wide catastrophe , it will be brought to a close because o n both sides the people of the countries involved realise that

to it has already lasted o long . There can be no question that this feeling pre vails extensively in Germany , Austria and Turkey . We know beyond doubt that the economic pressure in those countries far exceeds any to which we are subj ect here . Ministers inform us in their speeches

‘ ’ o f constant efforts o n the part Of the Central

‘ ’ Powers to initiate peace talk . ! Sir Eric Geddes at the Mansion House , November MARGOT ASQUITH

ul If the peace talk is not more artic ate , and has not been so precise as to enable His Maj esty ’s m Govern ent to treat it seriously , the explanation is probably to be found in the fact , first , that Ger man despotism does not tolerate independent ex~ pressions of opinion , and second , that the German

Government has contrived , probably with success ,

mi o f to srepresent the aims the Allies , which are supposed to include the destruction of Germany . ‘An immense stimulus would probably be given to the peace party in Germany if it were under stood :

“ 1 n . That we do not desire the an ihilation o f Germany as a Great Power ;

“

2. i That , except as a leg timate war measure , we have no desire to deny to Germany her place among the great commercial communities of the world ; “ 3 . That we are prepared , when the war is over , to examine in concert with other Powers the group

o f o f of international problems , some them recent origin , which are connected with the question of

‘ ’ the freedom o fthe seas ; “ 4 . We are prepared to enter into an inter national pact un der which ample opportunities [1 52]

MARGOT AS QU ITH

ing . I am glad Lansdowne has had the courage ” to write it . He went on to say that though he had never had — — the faintest doubt nor had he now as to o ur ulti mate Victory , he thought the war was likely to end on the same spot where it had begun , and that

o f if the minds men could only see far enough ,

’ they would treat Lansdowne s ideas with respect . At that moment we were interrupted by a serv ant announcing lunch . After greeting my guests I looked at Lord Lans

“ downe and said to myself : Here is a man of high honour and estate , who though a Unionist with

f re most of his former colleagues in O fice , has

‘ ’ vo lted a D o -fi ht ag inst the g g speeches , the heart less swagger and inefficiency of the men who are ” governing us . I told him during lunch what Henry had thought of his letter , at which he said

“ I am much relieved by what you say . As you

— and o u a reed— know , long ago I said y g that some

Nation would have to speak first . If we all wait for the right moment we Shall certainly wait for

. o f ever With the collapse Italy , and Russia in

o f o f a state Revolution , it is , course , a bad time [15 4] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

to speak , but as I shall be cursed by everyone , a little more or less matters nothing . I agree with your husband ; neither the Allies nor the Germans

’ will push their Victory into the enemy s country , and the war will end where it began .

I told him what my footman had said , and added

o f It seems savagely cruel , and doubtful wis dom , to pile up corpses for a delayed Conference .

Mr . Bonar Law, Lord Carson and every news paper vied with the other next day in vilifying

Lord Lansdowne , and London was seen at its s “ ” ” wor t . He was the Bolo , the Shirker, and the

“ Funk . The gutter Press published photographs o fLansdowne House bracketed with irrelevant pic tures o fslums and starving children ; nor was it him outsiders alone who heaped infamy upon , mem bers o fhis o wn family publicly repudiated him . I was interested to Observe that this abuse was

o ur no t universal in Mayfair , and some of high Society had the courage to praise Lord Lans downe , though in lowered voices . General Grant

o n and other Commanders , home leave , informed

o o r me that many f u best soldiers here and abroad , [1 55 ] MARGOT ASQUITH

t wis hed not only agreed with the let er, but it had been written months before . In saying this I do not mean that Lord Lans downe o r any o fhis admirers thought that Germany l would win the war . I personal y never met anyone who thought that—although I was told after the — Armistice the names o fa few who di d but many o f the men whose j udgment I valued foresaw , with l i singu ar accuracy , how little there is to be ga ned by a long war , even to the victors . Large for u ul tunes , however , were being acc m ated and it is surprising how easily non-combatants get acclima tis ed to Death .

Th — e Maurice D ebate 1917. The year 1 91 8 opened by the enemy announc ing their great Spring Offensive . This was ad vertis ed with such boldness and persistence throughout the entire Ge rman Press that many

n people did not believe in it . As public opi ion l is seldom right this wou d not have mattered , but in spite Of many warnings from my husband and

o f soldiers eminence, the Government were equally

- to short sighted , and refused do in time what they were afterwards compelled to do when it was al [ 1 5 6]

MARGOT ASQUI TH

in saying that as it has not come as a surprise , and

fo r o ur as those responsible forces have foreseen ,

at and have throughout believed that , if such an tack came , we should be well able to meet it , noth ing that has happened gi ves us in this country ” an caus e wha tever o r additi nal anxiet y f o y .

This speech , emphasizing the fact that the attack had come where it had been expected , coupled with the information daily repeated , that the British

Army had never been stronger or better equipped , made the rumours o four military disasters on the Western Front unbelievable ; and when the news

’ o fthe enemy s deep penetration into our lines was confirmed , and we learnt that at the very time Mr . Bonar Law was speaking our soldiers were suffer ing the greatest military defeat ever inflicted on the

one British Army, every was bewildered or out raged . We were informed that between the 22nd of March and l st o fApril the Germans had in a series o f amazing successes , advanced their battle line forty miles , and at the urgent request of Lord Haig and Lord Milner the Supreme Command of all the Allied forces had been taken over by Mar shal Foch . [158] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Unity o fcommand under a generalissimo was not a new idea . It had been seriously considered and

o n ffi rej ected su cient grounds by my husband , Lord f — Kitchener , the Allied Sta fs and after the failure o f —b Nivelle y Mr . Lloyd George ; but the tragic happenings in the Spring o f1 91 8 converted men

E asternites um upon the spot , and the views Of the derwent a convulsive , tardy , but wholesome change . The appointment o f the great French soldier restored confidence and was received with univer sal acclamation ; but the situation remained anx ious , and the conflict continued between those who believed in triumph in the East , and those who fore

o n saw the danger the West .

Reviewing the situation now, it seems incredible that anyone could have been as wanting in sense as to believe that striking the Turk was killing the

o f German , but the moral purpose the conflict had ff degenerated , and spectacular e ects to cheer the faint-hearted and bamboozle the public were the order of the day . Nothing throughout the war betrayed the value

’ o f o r o f men s j udgment , the quality their charac ters more than the opinions they held as to the rela tive dangers that lay in the East or in the West . [ 159] MARGOT ASQUITH

There was only o ne great strategic conception in the war , and that was the Dardanelles ; once that had failed , it was Obvious to Sir William Robert son , Sir Frederick Maurice and Sir Douglas Haig that we had to stonewall the West , and that every

- o ur u side show was a drain upon reso rces .

’ 23rd 1 918 On the of March , , the Kaiser s tele gram to his wife was published : Pleased to be able to tell you that by the Grace

Mo ull o f . God the Battles at y , Cambrai , St Quen e tin , and La F re have been won . The Lord has gloriously aided . May He further help .

“ H WIL ELM .

’ Someone said that the Kaiser s telegram re

’ minded him Of a parody o n his grandfather s ! King William o fPrussia) messages to his consort during the 1 870 Campaign

By right Divine , my dear Augusta

’ We ve had another awful buster, Ten thousand Frenchmen sent below

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow .

In spite o fa bombardment o fquestions put daily by Liberals in the House o fCommons as to the [160]

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

fighting strength upon o ur dangerously extended

a line, the country was kept in complete ignor nce ,

9th o f Mr and it was not until the April that . Lloyd Ge orge made a statement in the House which satisfied the ignorant but terrified the Army .

ri - ha d had Refer ng to the series Of set backs we , and defending his policy in the East , the Prime Minister said “ What was the position at the beginning of the battles ? Notwithstanding the heavy casualties in 1 917 the Ar my in France was considerably stronger o n o fJ 1 918 the l st anuary, , than on the l st of

J 1 91 . anuary , 7

Further o n in the same speech he told us that we had only one white Division in Egypt , and only hr t ee in Palestine .

Ma th 191 8. y 7 , On the 7th of May the man who had held the position o fthe greatest responsibility throughout

r the war, that of Directo of Military Operations General Sir Frederick Maurice—published his famous letter in all the London papers categorically

Ha s a Vol. 104 o. 24 e 1 328. n rd, , N , pag , MARGOT ASQUITH

’ denying the accuracy o fthe Prime Minister s state ments. Nothing since the Lansdowne letter showed as

n much courage as this , and everyo e in London who knew anything about the matter was in a state o f indignant perturbation . Telling the truth is al w ays unpopular and usually regarded as a blunder , but sacrificing half your income and the whole o f your career for it , was looked upon as a crime , and we watched with interest the bluster o four thought ful Press , and the Chinese antics of the Govern ment . Some o f the newspapers said the letter was

o prompted by the personal pettiness fMr . As ” f quith , and others a firmed that Sir Frederick u Maurice was an intrig er and a Pacifist . I did not know General Maurice by sight until 1 920 the year , and neither my husband nor anyone connected with us had any conversation with him about the events which led up to and followed the

o publication fhis letter .

ears 1 922 Three v later , in , General Maurice told me that the only person he had approached at that

o f con time was Lord Salisbury . In the course a versation about his letter he said : [ 1 62]

MARGOT ASQUITH

o ne the full facts . I wrote it to prevent the crime of sacking Haig after a false case had been trumped him up against . I did not believe that we could

’ n win if we did t fight clean .

f i Had the a fair not been so alarm ng, we would have been more than amused by the hysterical com

ments made and written at the time . The views o fthe fashionable female in moments of national

r n o ne c isis seldom disappoi t , and when a Tory lady who was in the habit of ej aculating “ Cad ! ” in the

’ middle o f Mr . Lloyd George s speeches in the

’ Speaker s gallery said to me o n the afternoon O f

a the day the Maurice letter appe red , that every

French and British soldier adored Lloyd George , l and wou d resent what Sir Frederick had written ,

She l t i adding that hoped he wou d be sho as a tra tor,

I knew where I was . Sir William and Lady Robertson lunched with 7th us on the , and I had a talk with him before

o I going down to the House fCommons . asked him what he imagined would be the effect o fSir

’ Frederick Maurice s letter upon the public , to which he replied :

’ Every word o fMaurice s letter is no t only true u t h but unanswerable , Mrs . Asq ith , and if the Bri is [ 164] AN AUTOB IOGRAPHY

- s people are as clear sighted , courageou and loyal as my fine friend , they will stand by him to a man ; but it is not the fashion o fthe present Government ” to be loyal to the soldiers or to anyone else .

“ “ Well , I said , whenever the debate takes place in the House my husband will stand by him if he is the only man in the Division lobby ! ” to which Sir William answered : “ The red herring that will be drawn across the scent is always the same , my dear lady ; and will m ‘ be repeated in the House o fCo mons . Out to

’ not win the War is a taking cry , and has only hoodwinked the public but done grave injustice to your husband . What I say is : Show me the men who are o ut to lose it ; the only ones I know are

and his friends , and unless they are watched ” they will certainly succeed . I asked him if he thought a full and accurate report of our military failures of March and April w o ould ever be permitted to see the light fday , to w hich he gave a guarded reply .

After lunch we drove to the House of Commons , and in an answer to a question put by my husband , pointing out the gravity of the charges made by

k e Sir Frederic Mauric , Mr . Bonar Law , looking [ 165 ] MARGOT ASQUITH

pained and deprecatory , and speaking for the — — Prime Minister who did not appear suggested

r 9th there Should be an Inqui y, and gave the as a day for the Debate . It is interesting to speculate at this time of day what would have happened had Sir William Rob ertso n been Chief o f Staff in the Spring of that year , but a series Of acrobatic feats during the early — weeks o fFebruary in which it would be difficult to say which of the men in high places came o ut the worst—had succeeded in putting Sir Henry

IVilson in his place , while retaining the services f of Lord Derby at the War O fice . When it was announced o n February 1 9th that Sir William Robertson had been transferred to the Eastern Com mand as a reward fo r his long serv

in o f ices , I heard shouts the House Commons of “ ! ” “ ! ” Boy Scouts Kent Coast etc . Nor was the British public any happier when a few days later the campaign was opened to get rid o fSir Douglas

Haig . During all this time not a murmur of criticism against either the methods o r policy o fthe Govern ment was permitted ; and my husband gave serious Offence by saying in a publi c speech that he was [ 1 66]

MARGOT ASQU ITH ing you are leading public opinion when you are merely following it . G t Mr . said if my husband could but s and by o ur soldiers he would not only save us from h defeat in the War, but it would be a decision w ich he would never regret ; and added that he was in w close touch ith Unionists of every description , and felt sure they would back him to a man In both h Houses . He spoke in the ighest terms of Sir Wil

n liam Robertson , goi g as far as to suggest he might become Prime Minister of the country if my hus

a band would only serve under him . I s id I did not think Sir William had any wish to occupy this

no t position , but assured him that my husband had the slighte st intention o fdeserting either Sir Fred

o r o r erick Maurice our soldiers , whether he was , whether he was not , backed by the great Unionist

Party . When Henry and I were alone he told me he had seen Lord Salisbury among others that morn ing , and found him deeply exercised . I said that his influence in the Lords , and the men of honour — in the Commons Sir Frederick Banbury, Lord

n r Robert Cecil , Lord He ry Bentinck and othe

us Unionists of repute , were certain to vote with , [1 68] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY as there was no chance o fo ur having a large enough maj ori ty to turn the Government o ut ; and that by n o w most people must have discovered the price o ur unhappy soldiers were paying fo r the reckless

o gambles fthe Cabinet . To this he replied that if the Unionist Party in either House had as much courage or independence as I attributed to them, they would not have been led by the nose for such a long time , and ended by making me a bet , that

o f when the moment arrived , not one them would stick to his guns either in the House of Lords or the House o fCommons . 7th 9th Between the and the , the Cabinet at the

o f i instigation Mr . Balfour, changed its m nd , and — the Inquiry which they had themselves suggested — was turned into a vote Of censure . It was the only chance they had o fprote cting themselves from

ri criticism , and the pat otic drum Of showing the enemy a united front was easy and cheap to beat .

No one ever gauged the value of the lat e House o fCommons o r o fthe present o ne with more cyn ical precision than Mr . Lloyd George , and he was bound to succeed once he realised the negligi ble moral fibre Of the maj ority o fhis supporters . In spite o fthe confidence some of the better in [ 169] MARGOT ASQUITH formed had in my husband ’s reluctance to give away the sources o fhis information it the Govern ment was terrified . They knew that without quot ing his authority he would be expressing the well known and considered opinion o fthe High Co m mand , and feared that when he had finished Speak ing he might be backed by some eloquent and un suspected man of character in the House . In con m sequence, anything and everything was pro ised to Members upon either side who would support them in the Division Lobby on the day of the Debate .

Ma 9th 1918. y ,

fe It is never easy , and Often ine f ctual to fire small arms at guns o fposition ; but when I went 9th down to the House o fCommons on the of May . recollecting what had been said to me by indig nant Unionists and other brave men , I felt con vinced that Henry had underrated not only the

o moral courage but the common sense fthe House , and that although it had sometimes turned a blind eye upon much that was dishonourable and untrue , it was awake and in earnest that day , and would stand loyally by o ur soldiers to repudiate the men

W e received many private letters from the Front expressing the deepest anxiety over the situation .

MARGOT ASQUITH

‘ o ur H erbert tion of dear friend , Aubrey fl the men

I had believed in had all deserted . I have sometimes wondered what would have happened if any man that afternoon had had the brains or the courage to wind up the Maurice de bate with words like these

“ The angel o fDeath has been abroad through o ut the land ; you may alrno st hear the flapping of

H i n s wings . There is no o e to sprinkle with

side o sts o f blood the lintel and the p our doors , that He may spare and pass on ; He takes His victims

Of from the castle Of the noble , the mansion the

o f wealthy , and the cottage the poor and lowly, and it is o n behalf o fall these classes that I make this solemn appeal . Even if I were alone , if my voice were the solitary one raised amid the din Of arms

o f and the clamour a venal Press , I Should have - h the consolation I have to night , and w ich I trust

o f t will be mine to the last moment my exis ence , the

r d o f n p iceless consolation , that no wor mi e has

’ tended to promote the squandering of my country s treasure or the spilling Of o ne single drop of my

’ ” country s blood .

] o . H C . The Hon Aubrey erbert . CHAPTER VI

— ARM ISTICE DAY IN LONDON SCENE AT BUCKINGHAM ’ D — PALACE A N ST . PAUL S PORTRAIT OF PRESI — DENT e so N THE K HAKI E LECTIONS AND DE FE AT OF TH E LIBE RALS

20 C avendish S uare q , n h 1 S u d a No vemb r l ot 19 8. y, e , H E N my daughter Elizabeth ran into my bedroom at midnight in her nightgown o n o 1 91 8 the l th of November , , to tell me that the war

o ld was over , I felt as numb as an piano with broken — notes in it . The strain of four years waiting and hi watc ng, opening and reading telegrams upon t ma ters of life and death , and the recurring news o ffailure at the Front had blunted all my recep

not tive powers , and what she said did seem to penetrate me . ‘ A young man from the War Oflice had rung her up to tell her that the Germans had signed the

o - Armistice . I put n my dressing gown and took

’ her into her father s room , where we found him

n . n readi g Bei g far too excited to go to bed , we [1 73] MARGOT ASQUITH sat together talking over the p robable terms of

r Peace till fa into the morning.

N mber l l tk 1918. o ve , After drinking my tea at 6 o ’clock the next day

! Monday ) and feeling too tired to write my diary , I lay awake reviewing the past and chronicling in my mind the many events that had taken place since we had left Downing Street . The door suddenly opened and my husband came into the room to say that what we had heard and

o f discussed in the middle the night was inaccurate , as the Germans had not signed after all . I felt no surprise , but he had hardly shut the door before the bell of my telephone started ringing, and taking up the receiver I recogni sed the voice of my Ameri

Mr : can friend , . Paul Cravath The Germans signed the Armistice at this ” morning and the War is over , he said . I ran downstairs and gave orders for as many

flags as could be bought , for the house , the roof, and the motor ; and wrote three telegrams . The l first was to the King , the second to Queen A exan J dra , and the third to General Sir ohn Cowans ; [ 1 74 ]

MARGOT AS QU ITH

o f over the mechanism the folding doors , and the m subsequent consign ent Of the casket . l f Nothing, however, cou d a fect us seriously that

o n morning . The whole thoughts fthe scanty co g reg atio n were either circulating roun d the signa

o f r tories the A mistice , or centred on some name less grave in France . When we returned from Hampstead we could see the progress that the great news had made .

o f r Flags , big and little , eve y colour and nation

i win al ty were flying from roofs , balconies and dows . The men who were putting them up were waving their caps at each other from the top o f high ladders , and conventional pedestrians were whi stling or dancing breakdowns o n the pavement ; a more spontaneous outbreak of simple gaiety could i hardly have been imag ned , and I have sometimes wondered if any o fthe Allies o n that day gave way

o to such harmless explosions o finnocent j y . 20 We arrived at No . and found that our

* i r thoughtful butler , w th praiseworthy pat iotism , had smothered the house in flags ; even the Welsh harp could be seen fluttering g reenly from the win

’ dow o fHenry s library .

* Mr . Clo uder . [ 1 76] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

I was told that in a short time it would be im possible to move in the streets except upon foot , as they were already j ammed with waggons , trol - - lies , motor cars and coster carts ; and that the queues outside the shops which sold flags were o f such a leng th as to block the passage of any -b passers y . On hearing this I j umped into the motor and told o ur chauffeur to drive down the main streets so that I might see the crowd . It was

o a w nderful sight , and more like a foreign carni val than what we are accustomed to in this country . Heavy motor lorries were flying backwards and forwards stacked with munition workers ; males and females in brilliant colours were standing o n each other ’s shoulders yelling and waving flags or shak

tam o s ing b urme at one another . Everyone was nailing up some sort of decoration , or quizzing his

N da . O o n e neighbour intended to work that y , nor could they be expected to when the whole world was rej oicing . On my retur n home I found my husband stand ing in the front hall holding a telegram . He put his arm round my shoulder , and , side by side , we read : MARGOT ASQUITH

o u e I thank y both with all my h art . I look back with gratitude to your wise counsel and calm resolve in the days when great issues had to be de

ul o ur cided res ting in entry into the war , which d Go . now , thank , has been brought to an end

“ GEORGE , R . I .

We looked at each other with tears in o ur eyes . I opened two other telegrams addressed to my self, one from Queen Alexandra , and the other from my little son .

In the great rej oicing which we share with yo u and the people all over our Empire , we do not for - get your husband to day . ! ALE ANDRA .

n . D O Blessi gs and love , my darling mother you

‘ know this from Euripides : The things that must be are so strangely great ! ’

ANTHONY .

After lunch we motored to the House o fCom mons to hear the terms o fthe Armistice read by

Mr . Lloyd George . Thinking the Speaker ’s Gallery would be crowded I went alone , but to my surprise it was [ 1 78]

MARGOT ASQUITH I pressed my forehead into my hands and a wave o femotion moved across my heart . To the average individual the terms that we had listened to were what had been expected ; but I could only conj ee ture with compassion what they must mean to a 1 91 4 proud race who , until , had everything that ul industry and science co d achieve , and had main tained u a conflict for fo r years , in which they ex

ected p not only to beat France , but half Europe ; and not fo r the first time I felt I was in a position to obey the High Command that tells us to extend mercy with j udg ment . A thanksgi ving service in Westminster had been

o f improvised by the Archbishop Canterbury , and when the Prime Mini ster finished speaking we all walked across Parliament Square to St . Mar

’ aret s g . As I was alone I had to fight my way through the crowd , and had it not been for a policeman who recog nised me , I could never have got into the church .

r After taking my seat , I Obse ved that all the Peers and the Commons were placed in the centre

’ of St . Margaret s , and the women in the side aisles . The Archbishop read a simple service in moving [ 180] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

tones , and the whole congregation j oined in singing

“ ” o ur O God help in ages past . I thought of the chapter in Isaiah where it says

“ An d strangers shall stand and feed your flocks , and the sons of the Alien shall be your plowmen - and your vine dressers .

“ For the I Lord love j udgment , I hate robbery fo r burnt Offering ; and I will direct their work

a in truth , and I will m ke an everlasting covenant ” with them .

I found my mind straying to the terms o fthe

Armistice, and wondered whether the Germans also were saying their prayers ; and if so to what God ; the Go d Of Peace ? or the God o fWar ? 20 When I returned to Cavendish Square , my

‘ nieces beautiful fi Laura Lovat and Diana Capel ,

‘ were waiting to have tea with me . They described how they had spent several hours o fthe morning outside Buckingham Palace , where a crowd had collected the moment the maroons informed the people that the war was over . They said that everyone in London , rich and poor , fashionable

n fo r the and obscure , was standi g and shouting

o f King, and many the spectators had tears in their

e] . Lady Lovat and the Hon . Mrs . Cap MARGOT ASQU ITH

eyes ; that when they left , the crowd was greater

accmnulatin than when they arrived , and was g ever v minute . I told them that as I was engaged to go and see Lord Stamfordham I would have to leave them , and we parted after tea . It was dark and wet when I arrived at the Pal ace , and the courtyard so packed with people that

o ut o f I had to get the motor and walk . The King and Queen were sitting o n a balcony

reflec exposed to the rain , and two dazzling stage tors illuminated their faces . The people below were shouting hymns o r patriotic songs and God ” save the King was being played o n every kind o f instrument . The and the were parading in close formation in the outer yard , and when I stopped to look up at the King, their

-in- Commander Chief . with the rudeness habitual to

o ut women in crowds , hustled me unceremoniously o fthe way .

The King was in khaki , a uniform which he had — worn since the first day o fthe War and the Queen was dressed in pretty light colours with diamonds and pearls round her neck . She has at all times [ 182]

MARGOT ASQU ITH ing on the balcony ; ! I was informed afterwards i that they did not leave it till after m dnight , except for their meals and their drive ).

mb 2t 1 8 Nove er 1 h 19 . ,

On the following day we went to the General i ’ Thanksg ving Service in St . Paul s Cathedral .

Thoroughly exhausted , my thoughts strayed , and

’ I was reminded o fthe Am erican Ambassador s con i versation w th Elizabeth when , after a similar

r se vice had taken place the year before , upon the

o f r 6th entry America into the war ! Ap il , my daughter had called at the American Embassy .

Mr . Page was not only one of the wisest but one

o f . the best Of men His lanky, dislocated figure was easily recognised , and the pathos , humour , and gestures of his face had gained him the confidence and delight o fus all . He will ever remain a hero in the minds o fmy

we countrymen , as cannot but regard the illness which ended with his death as having been brought about by the continued efforts he made to bri ng his

President and his people into the war .

Being a very great friend of ours , a few days after we heard that America had come in , my [1 84 ] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY d h aughter Elizabeth went to see him . S e was shocked by his appearance . Excitement and ap f i prehension had protected him like a sca fold ng, but m when the strain was re oved , the shakiness of the structure was revealed , and she saw without know ing it a doomed man standing in front of her.

‘ “ o u Dearest Mr . Page , she said , y look ill ; you can see me any day, but send me away now, as I ” t o To love you far o much to tire you. which he answered “ ’ k My dear , it isn t tal ing to you that tires me ; but I have received the Representatives o f ten - American Associations to day , each of which has asked fo r a speech to be delivered in the Albert

: Hall . I said to them

‘ ’ Gentlemen , we re under the very serious temp t tio n o tem t a Of making fools fourselves . It is a p a tion that we shall probably not resist , therefore it

’ appears to me that a service in St . Paul s Cathedral would give us less opportunity than any other form

’ of public ceremony . While my memory was straying upon this and other matters the service came to an end and we all hustled out of the Cathedral .

to We had been invited lunch with the King, an [ 185] MARGOT ASQUITH order we were proud to accept as we wanted to thank him in person for his telegram o fthe day

’ before , and after leaving St . Paul s we motored

Straight to the Palace . There was no Sign of fatigue in their Maj esties ’ f aces when they greeted us , and the devotion shown by their subj ects the day before had put them both in the highest spirits .

’ After kissing the Queen s hand , I said to her

“ Y o u to - ought be a very proud woman to day ,

’ Ma am , when all over Europe such sorrows are h appening to Monarchs and Rulers , to feel how much yo u and His Maj esty are loved by a free ” and happy people .

I was touched to see her eyes fill with tears . The

o o f King t ok my hand in both his , and said with that directness and simplicity which are peculiarly his own

“

N . O man , Mrs Asquith , ever had a better or ”

have . wiser friend than I had , and in your husband

N vember 191 8. o ,

A few days later , Henry seconded the address

' o fcongratulation to the King, which was moved by

Mr . Lloyd George in the House of Commons . [1 86]

MARGOT ASQUITH

to distribute praise between those who , in civil life

i wo n and naval and m litary action , have this great victory , but as my right honourable friend has well said , we can anticipate that task by rendering at once a heartfelt , unstinted tribute to the occupant o f the Throne . “ I had the privilege to be Prime Minister when

His Maj esty ascended the Throne , and I continued to hold that Office until more than two years had passed o fthe progress Of the War . There is no — one who can bear testimony first hand testimony — more authentic o r more heartfelt than I do to the splendid example which His Maj esty has set in

m o f ti e of peace , as well as in time war , in the dis

O r o ne o f charge feve y , day by day , the responsible duties which fall to the Sovereig n Of this Empire .

o f O f In the crash thrones , built , some them , on unrighteousness , propped up in other cases by a

o f brittle framework convention , the Throne of this

n u - o n cou try stands nshaken , broad based the peo

’ ple s will . It has been reinforced to a degree which it is impossible to measure , a living example Of our

al Sovereign and his gracious Consort , who have ways felt and shown by their life and by their [ 1 88] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY conduct that they are there not to be min istered

n . u to, but to minister

“ As the right hon . gentleman said , monarchies in these days are held , if they continue to be held , - not by the shadowy claim o fany s o called Divine

no t Right , , as has been the case with the Haps

r z o f i bu gs and Hohen ollerns , by any power div ding and dominating popular forces and popular will, not by pedi gree and no t by traditions ; they are held

o and can only be held , by the highest form fpub lic service ; by understanding, by sympathy with the

lot m common and by devotion to the com on weal . There are some lines o fone o fo ur o ld poets which li are perhaps worth recal ng, as they sum up and - express the feelings of many o fus to day

‘ The o ur e glories of blood and Stat ,

Are shadows , not substantial things .

There is no armour against fate , ’ Death lays his icy hand on kings .

And at the end o fthese fine lines he adds what we in these testing times in Great Britain have seen and proved to be the secret and the safeguard of our Monarchy Only the actions of the j ust

Smell sweet and blossom in the dust . [ 189] MARGOT ASQUITH

l The General E ectio n o f191 8. After the signing of the Armistice it seemed a

fo r o strange moment anyone to think fhimself , and when I heard it rumoured that there was to be an Election , I did not believe it . The defeated Party is apt to describe the Gen eral Election as an outrage ; but I do not think - anyone to day would say the Khaki Elections o f

1 91 8 o December , , had been other than a great p li i al t c crime . The chief blame Of this outrageous Coupon

Election will be ascribed in history to Mr . Lloyd

o George . It broke the historic Liberal Party t b l pieces just at the moment when Li era ism , and especially British Liberalism , was most needed at

Versailles . From this assassination and the Coali

G ov ermnent tion formed by it , have resulted most of the evils of the four years which have followed .

Of the Prime Minister , the drowsiest summer owl might have observed that throughout the long period of his public service both his strength and his weakness lay in his having no policy . Neither his personal charm , infinite persuasiveness , the quick changes o fan agile mind o r his eloquent speeches on the British aristocracy had captivated the con [1 90 ]

MARGOT ASQUITH

This fateful day for us opened by Henry , Gil bert Murray and Edward Grey going o n a Depu tatio n to convey to President Wilson the admira tion they felt for his great Idea involved in the

League of Nations . “ They started at in the morning and when

s their interview was over , my hu band and I mo tored through the decorated streets to attend the u G ildhall , where a great company had been invited to see the Freedom Of the City o fLondon conferred m upon the A erican President . “ We received a warm reception as we walked

O f through the aisle people up to the platform , and watched a ceremony with which we were all familiar .

“ I sat next to Lord Cave , a kind and sensible man who had been strong enough when he was Home Secretary to oppose the meanest and most cowardly of all the Government stunts— turning men and women of German name o ut of this coun

fo r . try , even when their sons had fought and died us

“ In a short talk before the company was seated , he spoke with contempt of the methods of the Gov ernment , but in this he is not peculiar, as I never met a Tory who praised them . Every eye was upon President Wilson who was seated next to his [1 92] P R E SIDE NT W IL SON

MARGOT ASQUI TH

un - so d opinion in a common sense manner , and he was at once accused of being both unpractical and a dreamer ; that Obviously to prepare for another

war was less practical than to prepare for Peace . “ When I was talking to him I wondered why he

so di l was much sliked , and if he wou d not have had a larger following in his own country had he made a moral protest o r pronouncement of some

sort over Belgium in the early days Of the war .

o ur The League of Nations , in which lie best hopes , might have been less hated if it had been proposed by a man o findignation ; whereas now it j ars o n

enfuriates America , France , confuses Italy , and is

suspected in England .

“ ‘ ’ ’ : r People say It s all ve y well , Wilson hasn t suffered in the War ! H e can dictate with his cool

head and colder heart that a League of Nations ,

e which includes G rmany , will give us a Peace that

’

o r o u ht . we all want , g to want But we ll never stand that ! Germany must be made to suffer all ff and mo re than she has made others su er . We

i ever must bring th s home to her in y way , from

’ generation to generation . We won t let America save Germany from the consequences o fher de [194] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

o f e feat , or deprive us and the Allies the consequ nces

’ r of our victo y.

“ The mistaken part of this reasoning is that there

‘ ’ is no Victory ; and the revengeful Peace fo r which

r men clamour means a eturn to old rivalries , and

Ger the subsequent preparation for War . As the mans are the most orderly , scientific and hard working o fthe European races they will ultimately

f to r su fer less than the Allies , and what good p u pose can be the perpetuation of Hate .

“ I am only interested in the President inasmuch as he wants to rebuild a dying world instead of

n inflicting fresh wou ds , and it matters little what instrument is used if it can fulfil this purpose .

“ War should be made , if not inevitable by a

f ul . League of Nations , at least as di fic t as possible The public in France and America seem to think

h o f t is is Idealism , which in the minds the common place is another word for ridiculous . “ It is sad to think that the men who fought the

W a r are not likely to have a voice in the Peace, and those who stay at home are generally the Jin goes who want to make War a going concern .

“ When Henry gave South Africa its Constitu t ion , many of my friends , not only the Tories [195] MARGOT ASQUITH

who , to quote Disraeli , have always been the stupid

— o ur : party but men on own side , said ‘ ! Surely , surely , Margot after having beaten the Boers you are not goi ng to give them back their Freedom ! Is your husband insane ! Have all o ur ?’ lovers , sons and husbands died in vain

“ According to Man o ur dead always die in vain i ’ if we listen to Christ s teach ng . But we don t ;

l disa we isten to the Clergy , and are seldom p pointed with the provinciality o fthe Christ that they parody .

“ President Wilson is trying to emulate the fa mous saying of the 1 8th century :

‘ Christianity has been tried and failed , the R e

’ n ligio of Christ remains to be tried .

“ The Republican Party in America stands for

o ut o f many things with which I am sympathy , but I cannot be lieve their dislike of the President is

o entirely political . From what I hear he is an E g tist ; uncertain in his personal relations because he is no t grateful ; and a man who trusts few and those mostly his inferiors .

“ This last is what really counts : men who like their inferiors seldom achieve high purposes .

n Nevertheless , President Wilson will go dow to [196]

MARGOT ASQUI TH

The news spread ; man after man of ours was

Were we all bea ten? whom could I ask ?

’ who would tell me ? Henry crushed up against me and said calmly

‘ ’ I see our footman . Lady Cave pushed up and took my arm ; I suppose I looked pale as she said

‘ ’ Y o u ir ! are a brave woman , don t turn a ha

’ ’ t ! r ! the thing can last it s a disg ace a fraud , and

’ a sham .

“ Among the crush in the large open doorway, waiting for his motor , I perceived Rufus Read

o r ing, looking snow white . Did he know, did he not know if Henry was beaten ? perhaps they

n all k ew . I was j ammed up against my husband and had no idea what he had heard .

“ I looked at him o ut of the corner o fmy eye

he lids ; was standing a little in front of me , but not a Sign o fany kind could be seen on his face . A man pushed up to us and said :

‘ Never yo u mind ! the Elections have been fought on gigantic lies ; no one could tell the truth , [ 1 98] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

o ut but it will come some day , and I hope they will all be severely punished ! ’ ‘W h ?’ o are you I asked vaguely .

‘ ’ I ve written o n the Morning P os t for 15 ’ ‘ I’ . m years , the man answered a hot Liberal and

’ believe in Asquith . He s the only man who ought

n Y o u to be o the Peace Conference . stick to it ! and make him s tick fo r on , if he is not put the

’ Conference this country is lost . God bless you . “ He slipped away—and after two kind squeezes

o f from the Caves , and a lift the hat from Rufus ,

o ur we drove away in motor , leaning back silent and exhausted .

I saw as if in a trance the cheering crowds , eager faces , mounted police , and swaying people, while we shot down the streets with o ur minds set

No t n and stunned . o e word did we say till we got near home ; then H enry broke the silence

‘ ’ ‘ I not I only hope , he said , that have got in ;

’ o t with all the others u this would be the last straw .

‘ ’ ’ ‘ o ut : I expect we re all , I said they are sure to have sent us the figures to Cavendish Square ’ ffi ’ ? from the Whip s O ce , aren t they or do you sup pose they ’ve sent them to the Wharf ?’ MARGOT ASQUITH

‘ ’ ’ We re certain to get the figures , Henry an

wered s . “ I The motor slowed down ; we had arrived . j umped out and ran through the Open doo r in front of Henry ; I foun d the odd man labelling our lug

u gage piled p in the hall . Not a note o r a mes

o sage fany kind was to be seen . “ 21 Henry went into his library , and I rang up

Abingdon Street on the telephone in my boudoir . ‘ Not got in all the returns yet ? Yes ? All our Whips out ? Y es ? East Fife ? ? Y es ? Asquith beat ! W hat?? RE AT ? ! Thank God , Thank God I said and looking up

I S aw Maud Tree standing behind me . Cover ing her face with her hands she burst into tears and said ‘ ! ’ ! ! Oh I can t bear it darling , darling Margot It ’s NOT true !

Still holding the receiver , I said “ ‘ — Yes ? Go o n Yes Yes th Henry came in and Maud left e room .

‘ ’ ’ ‘ I m o ut ? , am I said he ; ask by how much ; tell them to give us the figures will you ?’

Lady Tree . [200]

EPILOGUE

T was difficult to believe that the war was over . The hearts o fthe nation and even the minds

to be had got accustomed it , and I never realized fore how easy it is for men ’s minds to form bad habits . Few of us live up to the blessings we are accustomed to , and it is rare to preserve freshness o f outlook in daily life . The men who started by saying the war would be over in a few months—and these included nearly

o ur all Admirals , Generals and business men

b o n fo r ended y believing it would go ever , and took it as an insult if you dared to suggest it had

Y o u o r already lasted too long . were a Pacifist a pro-German if you did not share their enthusiastic desire to march into Berlin . I observed the sensibilities Of my acquaintance visibly thicken during the Great War , and even d to ay you will meet men and women in France , Belgium and England who say that the Armistice came to o soon . One can never guess who the people will be that [202] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

think war wicked , that think it folly , or think it noble . Women of no imagination but a certain fancy ” call it glorious ; Old men in Club windows say

“ ” it is inevitable ; and the young ones who stay at home boast that nothing but overwhelming Victory will ever satisfy their sense of honour . But to quote my dear friend , Mr . Maguire

n It is easy to be a bloodhound o the hearth . People say the same thing about the inevitability Of war as they said about the inevitability O fduel

l no t ling and with possibly as ittle reason . War is glorious ; it is futile and bestial . The training for it forces men to Obey with wooden precision co m mands not only muddled and murderous , but which are against all their intelligence ; nor can anyone - believe to day, that there is such a thing as Vic t tory . I will go a step fur her and say with con

fidence fo r , that whatever war may have done the dead , it has not improved the living . The cranks

n are cra kier , the gamblers more extravagant , the - back biters more spiteful , the rich more alarmed , the poor more restless , the clergy more confused , and the Government more corrupt .

* Mr . Rochfort Maguire . MARGOT ASQUI TH

With the signi ng of the Armistice all thoughts turned to the Peace Treaty and the infinite com plications it was likely to present to the three prin ci a p l figures concerned .

’ Mr . Lloyd George s proved genius for handling men had not given him the time or opportunity necessary for studying foreign affairs ; nor had he F ever been a great traveller . The rench language f is at all times di ficult for an Englishman , and In ternatio nal Law was not the strong point either of

i Mr. the Pr me Minister , the Foreign Secretary ,

o r Wilson , or Monsieur Clemenceau . Reading writing letters , the latter had Often said to me , was an occupation that bored him . Geographical fron

o r tiers want either knowledge study , and no Amer l ican President , however eloquent , is qua ified by his position to know much about European affairs . No r was the vital problem of Finance a subj ect that either o ne or other o fthe three professed to know anything at all about . When it was rumoured that neither our Foreign

f ffi re re O fice , War O ce , nor Admiralty was to be p sented at Versailles , we were interested to guess who the personnel would be ; and when it was known that no one versed in International Law o r [204]

MARGOT ASQUITH r eady and willing, should Mr . Lloyd George desire it , to speak to him at any time ; and shortly after

— o f this before the General Election December, — 191 8 Henry was asked to go to the Prime Min

’ ister s room in the House o fCommons .

Upon his return he told me what had occurred. He had been received with a friendliness that k amounted to enthusiasm and as ed where he stood .

Mr . Lloyd George then said ,

“ ’ I understand you don t wish to take a post under the Government . To which my husband answered that that was so ; and added that the only service he thought he

m be could render the Govern ent , would if he were

o f to go to Versailles , as from what he knew both

President Wilson and M . Clemenceau he was pretty sure they knew little of International Law o r Finance , and that these two problems would be found all important in view Of fixing future Frontiers and the havoc the war was likely to create in all the Foreign Exchanges .

At this Mr . Lloyd George looked a little con

. u fused He was walking p and down the room ,

n O f and in k ocking up against a chair , a pile loose i bo oks were thrown upon the ground . Has t ly [206] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY looking at his watch and stooping down to pick up

’ the books , he said he would consider my husband s proposal . Nothing more was said ; the interview was over and my husband never heard another word upon the matter . If the men who had fought the war had made the Peace , the name by which they were christened m ight have been appropriate ; but as it turned out , a more fantastic misnomer for President Wilson and the representatives Ofthe other Allies could

“ hardly have been conceived than the Big Four . Victory puts a greater strain on the behaviour o fNations and individuals than Failure ; and you can take the measure of both , according to the way in which they bear it . NO British Prime Minister ever went abroad ac companied by wiser advisers than Mr . Lloyd

George when he left England to make the Peace .

n o f He took , among others , a you g man genius

n in Mr . May ard Keynes , every word of whose writing has come true . But the minds were loose ,

o f the ears deaf , and the heads swollen those to

ns whom he was talking, and the worst i tead of the l best qua ities were developed at Versailles , and seen as clearly as flags flown from ships . MARGOT ASQUITH

“ ” If any of the Big Four had had a vestige o f greatness the world would no t have witnessed the

o f exhibition Greed , Grab and Intrigue that re

’ duced the Peace Conference to a Thieves Kitchen . They might have taken for the sermon that they

o ut : preached , the text of Isaiah

Yea they are greedy dogs which can never have

un enough , and they are shepherds that can never derstand o w ; they all look to their n way , everyone ” for his gain from his quarter .

Two o fthe Nations that signed the Peace should hesitate before criticising France either for her pol - o r . icy at Versailles , for her prejudices to day America came into the war late and suffered the least . Great Britain is geographically so placed as to be in no danger from Germany ! unless aero planes make much greater strides than they have yet done ), and after her demands upon the enemy it would have been fatal fo r the prestige Ofany

French Government to have asked for less . Neither of these countries can realize the nameless horrors , the losses in men , money, and material from which the French suffered by having the ag

a 56 . 11 Isai h , v . [208]

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

g resso r o n their soil ; aggravated as they were by

o f1 870 the bitter memories . Their military preparations before 1 91 4 were not of such an alarming character as to make a single German believe that their intention was to attack

them ; and the unnecessary brutalities o fthe enemy — outside the exigencies o fwar the deliberate laying

o f waste orchards , factories and farms , after they knew that they were defeated—will be hard for i Frenchmen ever to forg ve . It is in consequence of these brutalities that the natural but futile de sire to profit at the enemy ’s expense is pursuing

o - the nations fthe world to day . The Coupon claptrap in o ur kh aki election of Hang the Kaiser ! ” and “ make the Germans pay

’3 o f the whole cost the war , was quite as likely to

deceive France as England . And when one re members the effect it produced upon our own peo

ple , it is Obvious that the French were more than j ustified in believing that their unexcitable Al ly meant business ; and being roused at last to a proper sense of their misfortunes was prepared to back

t on . hem to the last man in the Ruhr , and the Rhine

am I have spoken to many thoughtful men , and [209] MARGOT ASQUITH convin ced that the Confidence Trick in the Gen e ral Election o f191 8 was played with even greater success upon the French than upon the British pub lie o u nl , and y have o y to look at the state of things in this country to see the results not only of the Election promises but o fthe mischievous decisions taken in consequence o f them at a Treaty o f Peace which everyone tod ay is clamouring to

The Kaiser is not hanged ; the German pockets

“ have not been searched ; the land fit for heroes to ” live in threatens to deport men by emigration not

s o in thou ands , but in hundreds fthousands ; mil

“ lions of un employed tramp the streets ; the Safe — g uarding o fIndustries Act which could be more

“ a re ccurately called , For the Prevention of the ”— covery o fforeign Exchanges has not only in

o f c reased the price necessary articles , but hurts Lancashire and hampers scientific research ; and the - Coalition Candidates at every by election vie with e ach other in disclaiming all connection with the

Government . It was the duty o fthe Big Four to help France instead of tempting her ; to check the ambitions of [210]

MARGOT ASQUITH — only means by which we o r any other nation

w as co - could be saved , by the operation of the vic tors and the vanquished alike , and to guide them into the paths of Peace . The Conference darkened the waters like the cut tle fish ; and the British people , led by their Prime

o f Minister , acquiesced in the decisions Versailles with less excuse than any of the other countries

o r and are blushing f it now .

Mr . Spender writes in a fine leading article “ After three years of Peace it is brought home to practical men that nearly everything the Allies have attempted to do to their late enemies has been hurtful to themselves . Nothing less than a com plete revision undertaken in a new spirit will bury - old feuds and work for co operation against dan ” gers which threaten all Europe . The spirit o fwar is the spirit of conquest or re venge , and both war and the preparation for it blur Vision as weeds choke growth . It is not in the interests of the enemy , but in the interests of

o f France , of England , and Europe that the Peace

to - is un iversally damned day . Ever since the birth o fChrist crowds clamour for the wrong person . If we had been nobly led [212] AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY — — into a clean Peace to quote my husband the American people might have backed the League o fNations ; but we j oined in the clamour for Ba f rabbas . The League was di ficult to shout , and wanted both Love and Faith to understand . The

o f President , dazed by the deftness the Paris

Treaty, and diverted by the shouts of the crowd , lost sight o fthe Silent Christ . He paused to dis tin uish i n g the names , and while he was l ste ing his

o wn health broke , and he was repudiated by his people .

‘ If Germany is not sufliciently punished for hav

u ing eq ipped a vast army for an unprovoked war ,

o d the mills of G grind exceeding slow . It was pride in their progress that hardened the hearts

O o u and turned the heads f r enemy . Let the Allies

o r be careful lest love of themselves , fear of the future , does not turn theirs also . There is only one antidote to vanity after Vic

an d tory, that is to remember God .

“ In the days when the keepers o fthe house Shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves when they shall be afraid o fthat which is [213] MARGOT ASQUITH

High , and fears Shall be in the way . For God shall bring every work into j udgment , with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be ” v e il .

TH E E ND.

INDEX

222 Baker, Harold II , . - H . . . I 23 251 256 62 11 117 Balfour, Right on A J , , , ; , , 2 2 12 , 71 ; III, 42, 76, 85 193 I 13 169 , ; v , 5, . f I 263 Bal our, Lady Blanche , . f 75 III 197 210. Bal our, Lady Frances II , ; , , f 88. Bal our, Gerald III , f f 187 o o . Bal our, L rd, Burleigh III ,

S Ir I\ 168. Banbury, Frederick C w 1 45 . Barlo , Sir Thomas III ,

194 . Battersea , Lord II ,

e s 80. Beach, Sir Micha l Hick III , f I 1 - o f . 35 8. Beau ort , Duke . " ] Beckend o rfl II 2 3. , Count , ' Beckend o r fl 207 , Countess III , .

127. Belloc, Hilaire III , 217 IV 168 Bentinck, Lord Henry III , ; , . I \ 90. Bertie , Sir Francis C Bib es co 1 20 , Princess . . I 20 Big Four NC 7. 21 6. Birkenhead, Lord III , 134 Birrell , Augustine II , . rnl I‘ 85 E e . Blackwell, Sir y C

o l I\ 127. Blackwood, L rd Basi R 1 212-3 Blavatsky, Madame , .

n I 30 . Blu t , Wilfrid . 150-7 Bo, Mrs . II , .

74 . Boer War III , 19 5 . Bohemian Society II , I\ 155 157 165 Bonar Law, Andrew R , , .

E h 1 50. Border people and Southern nglis ,

e 26. Botha, G neral III , 126-7 Bowen , Lord II , .

I\ 129. Bridges, Florry C I‘ 93 Bridges, General Tom C .

Brodrick, St . John . See Midleton , o f Earl .

W . . 214. Bryan , J I , [21 6] INDEX

o f Buccleuch , Duchess

Mr. o f Burke , , murder — ’ Burn e Jones L eg end B ria r os e 30 R . III ,

. . h 189 198 48 54 Burns , Rt Hon Jo n III , , ; IV, , 35 Burns, Robert I , .

33. Business man I , 189 Buxton, Francis I , .

bel - a r 1 252-5 111 74 94-111 Camp l Bannerm n, Sir Hen y , ; , , , 1 -1 2 30 3 , 145 .

83. Cambon , Jules IV, f o . Canterbury, Archbishop l Davidson, Randa l T

181 . Capel, Hon . Diana - 93. Caraman Chimay, Comtesse 8 4 . Carlyle , Jane Welsh

154 . Carlyle, Thomas III ,

74 . Carnegie , Andrew 17 Carson , Sir Edward . - d 213 5 III 43 160. Carter, La y Bonham ; , , 33 199 Iv 127 Cassel , Sir Ernest III , , ; , .

Castleros s e L d 13. , or 1 8 9 . Cave, Lady 192 Cave , Lord .

L d o f 203. Cavendish , ord Frederick , mur er

e i o 237 III 80 189 210. C c l , L rd Hugh ; , , , e l 237 Iv 168 C ci , Lord Robert ; , .

l 173. Cha mers, Sir Robert a 218-9 237-8 III 16 27 Chamberl in , Joseph , ; , , ,

75, 81, 116, 191 .

li 75 . Chap n , Lord

Ch l . 141 143. ap in, Mrs , 2 2 Church o f England 4 . 1 1 l 3 . Churchil , Lady Randolph C ur ll o r 126-30 208 II 198 h chi , L d Randolph , ; ,

III, 18, 92.

l W 84 201 Iv 71 122. Churchil , inston III , , ; , , [217] INDEX

16 Clarke, Lady II , . ff ’ 108-16 Cli ord s Factory I , .

Clo ud er . 1 76. , Mr IV , Co ah tio n 175 III , . 231 Cobden I , . C llin w o d 168 o g o III , . o o f 204 C nnaught, Duke III , .

204 . Conservative Party I , 1 245-6 Coquelin , .

1 233. Country Conversations ,

84 . Cowans , General Sir John IV, l 174 Cravath, Pau IV, . 89 Crewe , Marchioness of II , . o f 201 70 Crewe , Marquis III , ; IV, .

187. Cromer , Lord III , II 2 00 . Crouch, Mr . , 1 32. Cunard, Gordon II ,

12. Cunard , Lady IV, - z 14 23 42. Cur on , Lord II , ; III ,

85 . Cust , Harry III ,

’ D Ab ernon 30 80 1 16 14 , Lord I , ; III , , ; IV , . “ ” 11 258. Daily Chronicle ,

h o f 231 . Dal ousie , Earl I , l o o f Davidson , Randal Archbish p r 101 42 94 131 Canterbu y II , ; III , , , ;

14 . IV,

193. Davis , John W . IV,

D a vrtt 27. , Michael III , 9 7. Davreux , M . IV ,

Wl h 188. de Broke , Lord i loug by III , - 11 36 7 111 120. Desborough, Lord and Lady , ; , 7 - o f 11 209 17. Devonshire , Duchess I , , - o f 1 132 3 214 233 92. Devonshire , Duke , , , ; III , 148 218-9 Dilke , Sir Charles I , , .

11 121 . Disestablishment , ‘ 30 Disraeli , Benj amin III , . 49- No 11 1 153. . 10 1 Downing Street, , 161 et s e Dresden I , q.

INDEX

12 George V 2. “ 16 German spies 0. 121 Gibbs, A .

19. Gladstone, Lord 85 107 Gladstone, Herbert , . W 105-6 219-35 11 80 Gladstone, illiam Ewart , ; , ,

118 1 93 204 232. - , , , 46 8. - l . 126 7 Gordon, Genera Charles G . 91 Gordon, Maj or . - Glenconner 14 19 20. , Lord ,

o 231 259. G schen ; II , 17 - Graf Von 0 3.

54 . Graham, Peter 90 Granard , Countess of II , . 72 Granby, Marchioness of III , . 42 at s e Great War IV, q. f 11 101 o . Greatness , elements , I 81-2 Green, Thomas Hill . . 11 127 Green , Mrs . T. H . , . 12 fe . l i 0. Gren ll, Hon Wi l am IV, 111 39 Grey, Lady Jane , . o f o 128 223-4 111 56 97 Grey Fall don , Viscount II , , ; , , , - 1 10 112, 161 , 177, 199,

216 15 22. ; IV, ,

i o 85 . Gr mthorpe, L rd III ,

I 133. Grosvenor, Countess of .

l 166. Haig, Sir Doug as o 28 11 254-5 96 Haldane , L rd ; , ; III ,

1 15 . IV , 5 7 Haldane, Mrs . .

f 126. Hali ax, Lord

i . 196. Ham lton, Mr . and Mrs 135-6 Hamlyn , Mrs . . — r 34 . Hankey, Si Maurice

42. Harcourt, Lady - l 252 11 256 9 111 74 . Harcourt, Sir Wi liam ; , ; , [ 220] INDEX

d e a 196 Har ing , Lord Ch rles III , .

Hartington , Lord . See Devonshire , f Duke o .

Hawes , Lady H ay, John Th Ho n . e . A e Herbert, Col ubr y

Heseltine, Mr . - l Hicks Beach, Sir Michae

Hill, Henry

Hirsch , Baron H irsch , Lucien

Hood , Acland

Home Rule See Ireland . 42 196 Horner, Lady II , ; III , . 241 o f . House Lords I , - H xl . H 11 123 7. u ey, T ,

: ul 1 203—7 232 116 Ireland Home R e question , , ; II , . n 198 Isli gton , Lady Anne III , .

i 80 85 116. Isl ngton, Lord III , , ,

e James, H nry o f f James , Lord, Here ord Jameson Raid t Jameson , Sir S arr

Jenkins, Anna

Jeune, Lady

we t . o t as si/m. J , Dr Benj amin p

e . . e 90 161 12 K ppel, Hon Mrs G orge II , ; III , ; IV, . 2 07. Keynes, Maynard IV, k n 75 190 Kha i Electio III , ; IV, Kilb racken L 132 137 , ord III , , INDEX

i I 282. K mberley, Lord , 25 197 IV 34-43 48 Kitchener, Lord III , , ; , , , 72 77 86 119 121 , , , -, . l 105 196 209 212. Knol ys , Lord III , , ,

Krii er l 15 . g , Pau III ,

u I 206. K hlman ,

L amburne . 217 120. , Lord III , ; IV, 117 Langtry, Mrs . .

79 98. Lansdowne, Lady , 183 IV 97 148 Lansdowne , Lord ; , , .

88 IV 17 124. Law, A . Bonar ; , , 24 Lawson , Cecil . f 192 League o Nations .

L eco nfield 111. , Lady

L evia th an 169. 208 Lewis , Lady . 177 Lewis , Sam . 1 Licensing Bill 17 . i ws k 26 L ch no . y, Prince and 9 45 l . 3 59 . 63. Liddel , A G C , , , 200 Lindsay , Mr . . 1 1 1 Lister, Hon . Reginald . 195 IV 113 115 Lloyd George, David ; , , , 134 161 1 , , 78, 186,

166. Londesborough , Countess of 38-4 1 Londonderry , Lady . “ f 88 IV 123 Long, Lord alter ; , . L o reb urn 97 126 , Lord , . 181 Lovat , Lady Laura . 161 Lowther , Lady . 161 Lowther , Sir Gerald . 20 8. Ludlow, Lady ff n 189 Ludendor , Ge eral . f 124-5 Lyall , Sir Al red .

78. Lymington , Lord f 77-89 III Lyttleton , Al red ; , 88. - . 58 59 107 Lyttleton , Mrs Alfred ! Laura ) , . [222]

INDEX

m 1 13 New an , Cardinal II , .

102. Nicholson , General IV, 11 105-7 119 Nightingale, Florence , , . f 2 5 e o 0 . Norfolk, Duk III ,

l Oliphant , Genera

Olip hant, Laurence

a P ge , Walter s Parkinson , Sir Thoma Parliament Bill P a rmoo r o , L rd

Parnell , Charles S . “ Peggy Bed ford public house - b s o f 29 32. Pem roke, Earl and Countes

Pentland , Lord Phoenix Park Murders Planchette Positivism Prayer wr itten by Lady Blanche four Protection

i 102 Rawl nson , General Sir IV, . 88 Rayleigh, Evelyn III, .

20. Reay, Lord and Lady III , 22 128 Reading, Lord IV , ,

24 . Redmond, John IV , w 121-2 o ett 11 . Religion , J on , 111 16 27 Rhodes , Cecil , , . 15 42 Ribblesdale , Lady I , , . - o 28 30. Ribblesdale, L rd I ,

u 97. Richmond, D ke of IV, 122 Ridley, Lord III , . [224] INDEX

197. Ridley, Nathalie III , o f 161 Ripon, Marchioness III , . ” “ R 11 107 110 112 obert Elsmere v , , . I \ 88. Roberts , Lord C II 16 ] 4 . Robertson, Lady , t 92 Rober son, Lord III , . 7 I\ 0 Robertson, Sir William ‘ ’ R o f obinson , owner Robinson s 20 mines III , . 94 Roosevelt, Theodore III , . e o f 28 244 24 7-52 11 Roseb ry, Earl and Countess I U , , ; , 198 III 142 ; , , 187. I 1 4 . Rothschild, Lord , 111 12 3. Rothschilds, Leo , - 261 Ruggles Brise II , . f 26 Russell , Lord Chie Justice . III , . - W ar 82. Russo Japanese III ,

57. Sabbath, Scottish I , “ o f 210. Safeguarding Industries Act IV, - - i o f . 1 126 9 210 236 43 111 Sal sbury, Marquis , , , ; ,

19 89 163 191. , ; IV, ,

178. Sassoon, Aline III , O n Mr . t Sau ders, , Secretary

f 77. our III ,

Colohel I 74 . Saunderson , , 161 Savile, Lady III , . I 215 Scott, Alexander , . 50 Scottish people I 3 .

o f 124 . Selbourne, Earl I 3 42 Simpson , Sir James I V .

15 . i . Sm th, Mrs Graham I

Th e ! Hi . Souls, II I 2 S overal o f I 9 ; , , Marquis , III

f 131 . South A rican Constitution III ,

Spencer, Lord III ,

f 111 . Spender, Al red III ,

l IV 212. Spender, Haro d , INDEX Spiritualism Spy mania f o Stam ordham , L rd

Stephen , James K .

Stoner , Harry

Stubbs, Bishop

Symonds , J . A .

Tadema , Sir Alma ff f Tari Re ormers , the

Taylor , Jerusha

Tennant , Sir Charles

Tennant, Lady

Tennant , Francis

Tennant , Right Hon . H .

Tennant , John Nan Tennant, Tennant family

Tennyson , Lionel

Tennyson , Lord “ Thunderer” Titanic”

Togo , Admiral ’

Tollet , Miss Traquair Kirk

Tree , Lady Maude Tubb

Tyrell , Sir William

Vaughan , Kate Versailles Con ference Veto Bill

Victoria , Princess 45 Victoria , Queen III , .

Vivian , Hon . Violet Voltaire D a nO von p , General [226]