WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

CHAPTER I
THE IMPERIAL WAR CABINET
AND CONFERENCE
Imperial contribution to war effort — Canada's prompt action — Botha's loyalty
to the union — Rally of Indian native States — Value and limits of Imperial
consultation — My announcement of Imperial War Conference — Terms of invitation
to Dominion Premiers — Decision to invite Indian representatives —
History of Imperial Conference movement — India not a member — Lord
Willingdon's letters — Cabinet's suggestion for procedure — Dominion representatives
— Australia's failure to send a representative — Cabinet and War
Conference meet — Meetings and Composition of Imperial War Cabinet — Matters
discussed — Curzon and Milner sub-committees set up — Territorial peace
suggestions of Curzon committee — Disarmament and League of Nations —
Lord Robert Cecil's view — Problems of disarmament — Value of international
conference habit — Further discussion on the proposed League — British frame
only definite proposals for League of Nations — Pros and cons of disarmament —
Imperial development: Massey's resolution — Methods of preference: tariffs or
transport — My contribution to the discussion — Transport development advocated
— Revised resolution adopted — Experiment successful — Representation
of India in future Imperial conferences — Constitution of the Empire — Appendix
A: Prime Minister's statement on the military and naval position —
Appendix B: Agenda for forthcoming Special War Cabinet meetings with representatives
of the Dominions and India — Appendix C: Summary of Sir Eyre
Crowe's Memorandum — Appendix D: Summary of report of Lord Milner's
committee on economic desiderata in terms of peace.
BEFORE the end of October, 1916, the Dominions had raised
673,808 men for the service of the Empire in the War. India
brought this figure to well over a million. Had it not been
for the readiness with which Dominion and Dependency
sprang to our aid in the lean years of 1914-1915, the Allies
would have been hard put to it to pull through before Italy
came in, and at a time when the forces at the disposal of the
Central Powers were at their best. Apart from the contingents
sent from the Indian Regular Army, this impressive Imperial
contribution was voluntary. Not a squad would