CABINET BOMBSHELL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5607, 7 December 1916, Page 5

CABINET BOMBSHELL.

ASQUITHS RESIGNATION. OUTLINE OF THE TROUBLE. Electric Telegranh—Press Associatior Coovriehr,. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Ase’n.) London, Last Night. The King in the evening gave an Audience to Mir Lloyd George. A Court cu'ctiißr [announces that the King has accepted Mr Asquith’s retpgnataon . Renter states that the King has summoned Mr Lloyd George. Mr Asquith’s resignation came as a bombshell, showing that every effort made to preserve the unity of the coalition had failed through Lloyd George’s wishes concerning the War Council having been accepted an principle. On Sunday Mr Asquith contended that the powers of the War Councd ust be derived from Cabinet as .dole. Subsequently it was necesarv to rind Ministers who were prepared to delegate authority to a smaller body. Lloyd George did not object to Mr Asquith being a member Off the Council, but held that a member of the Council could not at the same timjb discharge Ihis duties as Prime Minister since his time was taken up in general administrative supervision and in attendance at the House of Commons. When he found that it was impossible to reconcile conflictng views, Mr Asquith called the Liberal leaders together, including Viscount Grey, Mr Harcourt, Lord Montague. Sir Herbert Samuel, Lord Crewe. Mr McKenna Mr Runciman, Lord Reading and Mr Henderson. Later Lord Curzon was called in and Mr Asquith commenced negotiations with Mr Bonar Law. -Insit. before seven o’clock Mr Asquith drove to Buckingham Palace and had half-an-hK>ur s audience with the King. When he returned to Downing street he was not carrying his portfolio. Apparently Mr Asquith suggested that the King should summon Mr Bonar Law. i

Throughout the crisis Mr Lloyd George was most conciliatory. His letter of resignation was couched in the most friendly terms. It recalled a decade of intimate personal association with Mr Asquith, emphasising the fact that despite sharp differences ot opinion occasionally they had never had a personal quarrel Mr Lloyd George proposes that the War Council meets twice dailv. or oftener. He attaches importance to the pressure of a Labour Minister in the Council, holding that Labour is vitally concerned in the effective prosecu. tion ot the gigantic conflict. Mr Lloyd George and Mr Bonar Law were not parties in the efforts os the Northcliffe press to drive Mr Asquith from the Premiership. They only knew of Mr Asquith's final decision to resign at 6.30 o’clock, when Lord Curzon returned from tire meefting of Liberal members of the Cabinet. The meeting lasted three hours. Later, Mr Bonar Law was summoned to Buckingham Palace. The report that Mr Lloyd George vie ted the King is untrue. Mr Bonar Law was summoned to Buckingham Palace at- 5.40 o’clock. It is suggested that he is likelv to be Premier, allowing Air Lloyd Georgje and’ Sir Edward Cfarson to run the war on the basis of permitting Admiral Jellieoe and Sir William Robertson a free hand. The Liberal meeting carried a general vote of confidence in Mr Asquith <by 43 votes to 8, with ten abeenta-

tions. The meeting conclusively proved that the Simonites who opposed Mr Lloyd George are smal lin strength. The Liberal Party crisis has shown that behind the conflict of personalities their is a conflict of policies. One body of Ministers is in favour of concentrating all the j strength upon the fighting ‘-ervicea, : end the others argue that if we de- | plete our industries in order to fill ' the army we deprive ourselves of the ' means of financing the war. The diffculties of the Asquith Gov- ; ernrnent have been increased by the miserable results of Allied diplomacy in Greece, and the deplorable with- . drawal of British and French marines 1 after the attack on Friday. The Northcliffe papers have commenoed vigorous attacks on Viscount Grey and Lord Robert Cecil. It is believed that Mr Lloyd George also : favours Viscount Grey’s resignation, i CALL FOR LLOYD GEORGE. GENERAL ELECTION LIKELY. London, Last Night. | The “Evening Sews,” referring to Mr Lloyd George’s resignation, says that Lord Derby’s resignartion is expected to follow quickly. The conn- , try will support Mr Lloyd George because it is deeply exasperated at Greece’s treacherous murder of Bri- ’ -h troops for which the nation holds ' Mr Asquith and Viscount Grey re- j sponsible. A paragraph in the Court circular | announced historic happenings to the, public. It said: “Mr Asquith had an audience with 11 is Majesty in the; < vening. and tendered his resignation ) as Prime Minister, which the King’ v, as graciously pleased to accept.” ' It is generally ’lelic-vod that the resignation entoiis a general election. ; Before an apjieai to the country. Mr , Bonar Law will form a Government and seek the country’s approval. The temper of the present House oi Corn, rnons is against the new Government, < specially i|i there is belief that Mr Asquith was unfairly driven from office. There is reason to believe that Mr Asquith does not desire to put ob---t.ac.les in tlie way of the new Government and will advise his Liberal, Labour and Nationalist supporters to assist Mr Lloyd George and Mr Bonar Law. It is hoped tha;t Mr Asquith will remain in public life and give the country tip, benefit of his great - xnenence and ability. He will probably receive a peerage. LABOUR AND OTHER OPINIONS. London, Last Night. Mr Wairdle nnnounood that tho Labour party unreservedly supports Mr Asquith with rites whole strength. Mr Tininuns ,the railwayman's lender, speaking at Kent'shtcywn, said 'that the present [*olificol hap|s.nings were calculated to cause dismay in tlii lonches. “If the working man g<W on strike he ;i.s abused and called a traitor and other unsavoury names,

finally being brought under the regulations of the Munitions Act. StatesI men should be similarly treated if they strike. We cannot expect the workers to do their duty unless leaders set an example. This fooling must stop. The country will not tolerate a dictatorship, but is fed; up with a press campaign of oaJtumny and slander. If the Premier is unfit to sit orL the War Council then he is unfit to hold office.” All the newspapers insist that the enemy need not draw comfort "from Air Asquith's resignation, since the only point at issue is the method of I carrying on the war with the greatest vigour. All agree that Mr Bonair Law does not desire to form a purely party Administration, and wishes the Coalition to remain in existence. It is believed that Lord Alontagu and tlie Hon. Herbert*Samuel, in addition to sympathy with some of Lloyd George’s aims, may serve in the new ! Government. Air Samuel may succeed 1 Air McKenna.

It is expected (that Lord Reading will be a prominent member, and will probably be made Lord Chancel lor. Viscount Grey, Air Balfour, and Lord Lansdowne are not expected to continue 'in office. Air AlcKenna, Air Runciman, Air Harcourt .and Earl Crewe are actively opposed to any compromise with Air Lloyd George. They also objected to tlie inclusion of Sir Edward Carson in the Cabinet. This was a cardinal feature of Lloyd George’s plan. Sir Edward Carson had last year shown great qualities of straightness, sagacity, and simple wisdom gaining th e respect of many Commoners who were previously opposed to him, apart from the possibilities of a settlement in Ireland, which Lloyd George always considered feasible. Altr Redmond, interviewed, said the Irish party views the crisis from a different standpoint to the other' parties .He stated: “AVe were excluded from responsibilities in the direction of the affairs of the Empire, while half the Government denied justice to Ireland from the outset. We condemned the Coalition, feeling that the results would be disastrous to Ireland, and prove a weak and ineffective instrument in carrying on the war.”

LLOYD GEORGE SUAIAIONED. (Received this day at 9.45 a.nr.) London. This Day. Air Lloyd George has been summoned by the King. BONAR LAW DECLINES. THE NEWSPAPER COAIAIENT. (Received this day at 10.55 a s m.) London, This Day. The “Westminster Gazette” states that Air Bonar Law declined to form a Alinistry. Tlie “Daily Alail” says: Air Asquith on Tuesday morning changed has mind and withdrew his assent, writing to Air Lloyd George that upon reflection he could not agree, consequenly Air Lloyd George cent in his resignation in writing. The “Times” welcomes Air Asquith’s whole-hearted sympa/thy. Air Asquith’s proposals were a hopeless and impossible compromise. AYhat the situation now requires is a return of the well-tried English system of small liarmomotLs Cabinets. The “Daily News” : “Air Asquith’s resignation is humiliating to the country. It is the result of ..a crusade engineered by Lord Xorthcliffe, and is one of the most sinister incidents in national history. The new Cabinet will contain no Liberal ele(ment apart from Air Lloyd George, but wc hope the Commons will give the administration fair play.”