The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-25
.ASQU|TH.|S TIRED
OF HIS POSITION.
Premier of England Fully Deter
mined to Leave Politics
Forever.
MEANS LOSS TO COUNTRY
He Has Been Held In Office This
Long by Insistence of
King George.
MEANS LOSS TO COUNTRY
NY PHILLIP EVERETT.

London, May 24.--Ever since MIR. AS
quith made his speech in the London
Society of Foreign Journalists 1t has
been definitely known that he is look
ing forward with pleasure to tho not
distant time whom he shall BIO nble to
leave politics forever. probably to oc-
cupy the high office OF Lord Chief Jus
tice.
Everybody, irrespective of party, will
feel sorry to see Il man with Mr.. As
quith's rare political gifts and I'M
hlemished reputation leaving tho po-
litical arena. but I am Informed upon
tho highest authority that his decision
is quito irrevocable
AS a matter of fact Mr.. Asouith has
long been tired OF his position. which
is and always has been a most difficult
and thankless one. 1t took consider
able persuasion TO make him give up
his resolve to retire in November last
IT is even said that II was King George
| himself who insisted that Mr.. Asquith
must not think of resigning ut n time
whom tho international situation was
exceeding difficult. and when the best
interests of tho country demanded that
the British government should appear
firm in the eyes Of tho other powers OF
Europe.
Now that the international outlook
has frightened Mr.. Asquith will not be
long in announcing his retirement,
though many Liberals think this will
mean the disintegration OF the party
machine and tho end OF tho present
Liberal rule in England.
Al any rate. the Liberal party will
mcot with the same experience as did
the Conservative, when Mr. Ralfour
was forced to resign his leadership
and the squabbles between the sup
porters OF Walter Long and Austen
Chamberlain nearly scattered the Tory
party. which has been without any ac-
| tual leader since then, for no one Is in
olined to take Mr. Bonar Laws leader
ship seriously
AS If TO emphasize that he Is IN
earnest Mr.. Asquith spoke again Of
! MS Willingness to retire even i'm
mediately In his eloquent speech
against women's suffrage in the House
! OF Commons on May G.
Source of Grief
! There Is no doubt that the Mar
| conf affair and the way in which II has
| been mado use OF by part of the Con-
servative press has been Il source OF
much grief 10 Mr.. Asquith. although,
OF course, not the slightest stain Mt
| taches to himself
1t cannot be denied that I'm the eyes
| Of the average reader of newspapers
| in England certain members OF the
| present government have been serl-
| ously compromised by their transac-
| tons in American Marconi shares. no,
| only because the extremist section OF
the Conservative press has done every
thing to- make matters appear In TIL.
light. but also and perhaps even more
so because OF the fury of Winston
Churchill when the A1arconi committee
gave him n chance to deny that he was
In any way implicated In the affair.
series Of articles written By one
of England's most gifted. but also
most INSCRIPTIONS Journalists. j. l.
Garvin, editor OF Mr.. Astors Pal
Mall Gazette, on the relations OF the
ministers with the Marconi affair, is
however apt to prove very much ir
the nature OF boomerang for the
party he Is cndcavorlng to help, a
least in the eyes Of all thinking nnt
unbiased readers.
There is no doubt that in his eager.
ness TO hit his opponents. Mr. Garvir
| has overrcached himself and his venom
has caused him to make charges ir
which he probably doea not even be.
| lieve himself in his moment OF calm Of
! reflection. l do not think that he ha.
FOUND n single person in England will
ing 10 believe that Lloyd George anG
Sir Rufus Isaacs cody specialized ir
the Titanic disaster. Like almost
every Irishman, Mr. Garvin has an in.
hatred Of the Jew--and in this pre-
disposition. perhaps. lies tho secret OF
his unwise AVID over-violent attack
The only thing for which the min
listers implicated in the Marconl affair
may be Justly blamed Is the error OF
Judgment they committed when they
| d'd not take the House Of Commons a:
fully into their confidence as they die
tho law courts. None OF them even
di: anything of which he need fee
ashamed. or which in any way con
Germs the public. but the masses of the
voters do not reason. and to n good
many of them any form OF speculation
on the Stock Exchange is almost cr:mi-
nal, or at least sinful, and If we are
TO have general election soon. the
cry Of "Marconi Is apt to prove dis
natrous 10 the Liberal party, to home
rule and indeed to progress OF any
| kind. for which that party stands