[Sidenote: FAILURE TO MAKE AMENDS] It is not a little remarkable that in 1912--indeed from 1905 to 1914--Lord Roberts, who, according to the Nation, possessed but 'an average Tory intellect,' should have trusted the people, while a democratic Government could not bring itself to do so. The Cabinet, which knew the full measure of the danger, concealed it out of a mistaken notion of policy. Their henchmen on the platform and in the press did not know the full measure of the danger. They acted either from natural prejudice, or official inspiration--possibly from a mixture of both--when they made light of the danger and held up to scorn any one who called attention to it. The whole body of respectable, word-worshipping, well-to-do Liberals and Conservatives, whom nothing could stir out of {349} their indifference and scepticism, disapproved most strongly of having the word 'danger' so much as mentioned in their presence. The country would to-day forgive all of these their past errors more easily if, when the crisis came, they had acted a manly part and had expressed regret. But never a word of the sort from any of these great public characters! [1] Manchester, October 22, 1912. Quoted from _Lord Roberts's Message to the Nation_ (Murray), pp. 4-6 and p. 12. The date, however, is there given wrongly as October 25. [2] _Manchester Guardian_, November 5, 1912. [3] This was not so, however, with the Liberal newspaper of greatest influence in the United Kingdom--the _Manchester Guardian_--which gave a full and prominent report of Lord Roberts's meeting. This journal is honourably free from any suspicion of using the suppression of news as a political weapon. [4] October 26, 1912. Like the _Manchester Guardian_, the _Nation_ made no attempt to boycott the speech. [5] 'Successful,' not 'distinguished' or 'able' is the word. The amiable stress would appear to be on luck rather than merit. [6] _Manchester Guardian_, October 28, 1912. [7] _Daily News_, October 30, 1912. [8] See Preface. [9] _Evening Standard_, October 30, 1912. [10] _Morning Post_, October 30, 1912. [11] Mr. Asquith at Cardiff, October 2, 1914. [12] Mr. Runciman at Elland, _Manchester Guardian_, October 26, 1912. Sir Walter Runciman, the father of this speaker, appears to be made of sterner stuff. After the Scarborough raid he denounced the Germans as "heinous polecats." [13] _Times_, Parliamentary Report, October 30, 1912. [14] _Ibid_. November 1, 1912. [15] Mr. Acland at Taunton, the _Times_, November 5, 1912. [16] Letter in the _Times_, November 11, 1912. [17] Mr. Acland at Rochdale, the _Times_, November 25, 1912. {350} CHAPTER IV LORD KITCHENER'S TASK