CHAMBERLAIN, Austen.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Typed letter signed, announcing his intention to rebut Lord Beaverbrook's allegations. Austen Chamberlain writes to press tycoon Lord Beaverbrook, stating his intention to publish a rebuttal of the account in Beaverbrook's memoir of Chamberlain's role in the events leading to Asquith's resignation in 1916."Dear Max, During the weekend I read with great interest your second volume of 'Politicians and the War' which I had been unable to do at the moment of publication. Let me say at once that I appreciate your desire to tell the tale with perfect fairness to all parties and the way in which you insist that in difficult circumstances all those engaged were doing what they thought in the public interest even if they were mistaken as to where that lay. But I am not wholly satisfied with your presentation of the attitude of the '3 C's' and I am inclined to publish my own version of the story".Chamberlain would otherwise have published the rebuttal in another newspaper, and also desires payment for it. He here offers Beaverbrook the option to publish it himself in his Daily Express. His article "would be a criticism, though a friendly one... whilst doing I hope justice to you, I should yet be criticizing what you have written".He then asks two questions, ahead of the rebuttal. "(1) I am more than ever convinced that the 'three C's' had only one interview with Asquith and that that took place upon the Tuesday and not the Monday. Have you any evidence to the contrary except Crewe's me

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