The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-31
Premier Springs Great Sur
prise on Unionists by
Sensational Move.
WILL HAVE FOUR JOBS
Little Doubt of His Reelec-
ton From His Scottish
Constituency.
LEGISLATION DEADLOCK
viscount Morley and Gen. Paget
Expected to Resign
To-day.
Social Gable DespsfcA 70 TIVE Scr.

few days none has so thoroughly cleo
,-ined Parliament and the country as
Premier Asauiths dramatic announcement
that he had decided to add the burden
some duties OF the War Once TO the Pre-
niiership and the Offices of First Lord OF
the Treasury and President Of the Com
r,ttee on Imperial Defence. which he al
ready holds.
II will throw 30 much work on his
shoulders that II will be impossible for
him to carry on the combined duties for
long. II affords eloquent testimony Of
the chaos OF the War once and the disas-
,-ous plight into which the Government
has houndered.
The Premiers intention to resign his
seat IN the House Of Commons and seek
reelection increased the establishment Of
Parliament. for there are other instances
Of a Minister holding dual Offices without
feeigning. and II Mr.. Asquith had followed
this course It would apparently have not
ls.sed any remark. The accuracy Of his
view and that OF his legal advisers that
his resignation was necessary Is ques-
toned in some quarters. but anyway Il
was an adroit move and will help to tide
over a difficult situation. The Govern
nent will thereby get some days OF
breathisg space In the House OF Com
mons, where every Opposition question can
be met with the answer that nothing can
be settled in the absence Of the head Of
the Government
designations have become a standing
dish for the last few days. SO it comes
with little surprise TO learn that tina, of
iLeut-G Sir Arthur Paget, commander
of the forces in ireland. will be announced
N the House Of Commons and House Of
lords to-day Tuesday,.
Gen Paget was not instructed TO put
any hypothetical questions to the officers
II the Curragh. This In Interpreted as
throwing another victim to the wolves
md, according to a Dublin report Gen.
pseet 80 regards Il.
HOPE for Increased Majority.
The Ministerialists nurse the hope that
Mr.. Asqu!th will be returned from East
Fife by an increased majority and thereby
strengthen the Government. II In. how
ever. not quite certain as yet whether
there will be q contest. Col. Sprot. q
Scotsman who lives In the Premters con.
stituency and has been twice defeated
there by Mr.. Asquith. 10 a sort of per-
manent candidate who keeps the con-
stituency "nursed" In the Unionist in
terest.
II Is assumed that ne will fight now.
but he has announced nothing himself.
and It may be that the Unionist organixa.
lion will decide that II would BE- play
ing into the GOVERNMENTS hands to take
up the challenge. The local Unionists,
however. assert that the national insur-
ance act has no damaged the Government
the eyes OF the electorate that there
good chance Of winning. iiotwith.
standing the glamor Of the Premier's
reputation and the fact of his unbroken
representation Of the constituency since
lsss
There lie no date on which to build
hope OF Mr. Asauiths opponents Ia justi-
fed but his defeat would involve a tre-
nendous overturn of votes Writs for
'he election will be moved for to-day
Tuesday,. The earliest date for the
polling in the event OF a contest will be
April $, and the latest April II.
Asauith to Learn New job.
Mr. Asquith will stay In London for the
present picking up the tangled threads
o' the War Office. where he will have
the advice OF Lord Haldane. former SEQ
'etary for War, Meanwhile Mr.. 0uliand
The Scottish Parliamentary whip. win 60
to East Fife to arrange for a possible
contest
Niscount Morley's resignation a. Lord
PRESIDENT OF the Council Ia expected to-
gay Tuesday,. There II no demand for
The head Of this worthy veteran among
The Governments tail" as was the case
with Secretary for War seely. but Il In
believed that he feels himself 20 involved
N Col, seely's blunder that he cannot CON-
Ihue In office. II may be recalled that
when he left the Secretaryship for india
Three Years ago Viscount Morley pressed
me resignation upon the Cabinet. and even
declined to remain on Premier's Asauith's
personal entresty. 1t was only when
round robin" asking him to stay was
signed 10y all his colleagues that he agreed
to remain, although his health was indif-
'er"nt at the time.
~ addition TO his own resignation
'Ae Premier also announced that Field
Marshal Sir John French and Adjt -Gen.
slr John Spencer Ewart. who with WIS.,
count Morley. Lord President OF the
council. we're responsible for the guar
sh''es to Brig. -Gen. Cough and the
Other Officers In Ireland. which were after
ward repudiated by the Government, had
insisted on their rosiEnations being &C.
eepted.
II may be desirable to point out that
sfhough Field Marshal French and Adjt.-
Gen Ewart have resigned their stan sp-
po'n'ments. this does not affect their
rank In the army. where they win remain
on the active list
When the House realised the clsvsrnsss
OF the Premisr's move thsse vas tro-
"ehdous outburst Of cheering frso ths