The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-31
Shape-Up in the Army

new lease of life, and purposes to make the reorga nization of the army fighting issue
 Shape-Up in the Army
 The whole army system may have to be recast,' Colonel Seely remarked sig nificantly today. The first business will be to find a successor for Sir John French. whose withdrawal leaves a great void at the war office. The name of General Sir Ian Hamlto2 is discussed the most. General Hamilton holds the posi- tion of inspector of the overseas forces | at a salary of $3O,OO0 and the government would be glad to abolish the office Both Houses today debated the situa- tion at great length, but the debates sim :nered down into mere assertions on the one side of plot to seduce the army and on the other side of a plot to crush the Ulster covenaters, with denials and counter denials and heated personalities No member of the Irish nationals st party, of which John E. Redmond is the head, uttered a word in the house. The Irishmen are letting the English fight it out alone. Premier Asquith, Viscount Morley. Colonel Seely and Generals French and Ewart all visited the King during the day.
 The debate in commons, following Premier Asquith's withdrawal was tame. Frederick E. Smith, unionist for
 
 newed his accusations that the govern ment had matched a conspiracy against Ulster 'It was Napoleonic, but there was no Napoleon" he said.
 Winston Spencer Churchill. first lord of the admiralty, said that the plotting had all been done by the opposition who tried to seduce the army. He quoted from the unionist leaders speeches, in which they advised the army to refuse to serve against Ulster
 In the House of Lords the Earl of Selborne spoke with a warmth seldom heard in the house. He termed MT. Churchill's charges foul falsehoods'' Field Marshal Lord Roberts appealed to the country to dismiss the idle but dangerous and mschievous assertions that the army was implicated in po- litical conspiracy and the ridiculous fallacy that the officers are q wealthy and privileged class The government s ultimatum, he said, was like springing a mine on the army. He wished to nail to the counter the lie that any officer had dsobeyed orders.
 Viscount Haldane rejoiced that the lords were beginning to realize the seri . ousness of the situation raised by the issue of the army versus the people, May Have Contest It has not yet been decided whether the unionists will contest MT. Asquith S seat. large section of the unionists l favor allowing the premier's reelection without opposition, which would permit | him to return to the House of Commons | a week earlier than if he were opposed The Daily Mail and other unionist l papers accuse the premier of running away and of deliberately taking the course he adopted in order to be able 1 for a fortnight to avoid answering 2 | questions In Parliament. The more gen eral view is, however, that he has taken
 the war portfolio, because, after his experience with Colonel Seely and Wis I count Morley, he was afraid to entrust it to anybody else during the present crisis.
 l The liberal morning papers are evil l dently relieved at the unexpected turn of affairs. They admit that Mr. As quiths course is astonishing and un- precedented. but express admiration fo1 1 his boldness and courage, which they believe will touch the imagination oi | the country and restore the govern ment's prestige.