The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-26
Throne, Cabinet and Parlia-
ment Wrestle With Prob
lens Confronting Army in
Regard to HOme-Rule.
REPORTED THAT
GENERALS RESIGN
Col. Seely May Retain Post
in Cabinet As He Resumes
Duties After Conference
With Asquith.
BY HERBERT TEMPLE.

LONDON, March 26.-The army
crisis brought about by the Ulster stu
alton held the attention of the throne,
the cabinet and parliament today. King
George summoned Premier Asquith to
Buckingham Palace this afternoon and
their conference lasted so long that
the Premier was unable to reach the
House of Commons when the parlia-
mentary session began.
While the Unionists were waiting
on the cabinet, the press association
which is in close touch with the gov
ernment announced that the resigna-
tiOn of French and Ewart had been
accepted. This news coming to par
lament while the premier was still at
Buckingham caused a buzz of excite
ment.
Chancellor Lloyd George announced
that the second reading of the home
rule bill will be taken up Tuesday.
AS the members gathered a per-
slstent report was circulated that Field
Marshal Sir John French, chief of the
general staff of the army, and Lieut.
Gen. Sir ]. S. Ewart had resigned rath-
er than accept the mandate of Premier
Asquith that the army must obey the
own AHIChI oiuClS
The war office refused to deny or af-
firm the report of the resignation but
they were generally accepted as true,
and formed the basis of Interpolation
directed at the government by the
Un1onist members. After members of
the cabinet at the session had awaited
the arrival of the premier for some
time first lord of the admiralty Churcr-
all made hts aanoEncfmeff =. s.sses-s =
sf8 'Efhs Premier will make statement
later regarding the reported resigna-
tion.'
In response to sharp questions as to
what the policy of the army really is
Col. Seely, the secretary of war re-
piled:
THE accepted policy is that troops
shall not be employed to aid the civil
powers in districts with which they
are territorially connected"
seeIy Resumes Duties.
That Col. Seely will retain his post
in the cabinet was indicated by the
fact that he held a long conference
with Premier Asquith at noon and then
resumed his duties at the war office.
Winston Churchill, first lord of the ad-
miralty, was present at the conference
in Asquiths home and accompanied
Seely when he left.
Churchill was also present at the
session at the war office when Col.
Seely received the general officers of
the army who had been summoned
to London by secret orders.
Grave developments were promised
during the day as result of secret
orders issued to all general officers
commanding army divisions in Eng
land to report themselves at once to
Col. Seely.
This order. taken in conjunction
with the declaration of Premier AS
quith that the liberal government
would not tolerate in it's service any
body of men "who demand assurances
as to what they will or will not be re-
quired to do showed plainly that the
government had resolved on strong
measures. to insure military disci-
pine.
Army Officers Resign.
The actual home rule question and
the threatened civil war in Ulster
province were overshadowed by the
critical situation which developed
from the Wholesale resignation of
army officers, who refused to serve
against the protestant anti-home rul-
ers in the north of Ireland
Although Premier Asquith has ad-
mitted that the government blhndered
and war Secretary Seely is still will
ing to resign because he "unintention-
ally misled his colleagues in the cabi-
net the liberals who are supporting
the Asquith regime declare that the
ministry has successfully weathered
the storm and that from now on the
Unionist attacks must necessarily
grow weaker. sx