New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-04

....,., he said that the Inner Cabinet
-,,oun TO the Constitution: which
&c But then the cabinet itself is
-, exccrt 90 the Constitution,
81, rests on tradition, precedent
I'm and not on statute law. Nor
80 DAYS need 10 much matter.
che constitution itself has become
,.d,,al plaything: or an instrument
radical caprice and 81 party policy.
,.o.r,, defined the Cabinet as 8
-,,,tee Of the Legislative body Sc
..s g., he the Executive body. The
49,, itself chooses the men who COM
,he cabinet. not directly. but IS
-,.. omniDctent in choosing them
-s're~ny. a century and half ago
crown chose its own Ministers.
,ss Crown that prerogative has
.-.e6 ID retains the power Of Oh
- but not OF appointing. More
~. once Queen Victoria used that
and the force Of a precedent so
-, cannot De denied. only a strong
...-,ign could use 10 efficiently. Per
-, o strong and experienced Sow
-s,r could have stretched the pre-
-.evs 50 far as TO press for the
..,ior o. diScredited Minister:
4 Minister. for example. discredited
s,sprcs IN Marconi shares. But l
- heard 70 suggested that the pres
r., King used his royal authority, or
.. rival influence. whatever il may
80 secure the retirement Of Mr.
LLOYD Georse.
- much perhaps needed saying in
,-ssr 10 clear up the origin and posi-
-, o. hat Inner cabinet which now
..r-,s the authority of the Cabinet
.seif Neither the Crown nor the
uo.s. NJ Commons has anything TO do
-.c,lv with the selection Of these in
Il AZ members. such q group is pretty
Il no N be formed in any Directorate
II. -bicb has grown SO unwieidy as this
q. of,icsl Directorate has become under
H. asouith. In that also Mr.. AsqWth
A. shown himself an innovator. he is
#. frst Prime Minister whose Cabinet
numbers. including himself, Il Min
ttsrs
Even So. The most powerful member
o. the Coalition on which the Ministry
depends for It's existence is not Min
SER Mr.. Redmond is Minister with
.ogt a portfolio. without pay, an un-
I-rowned King. He is Of the Outer Cab
mel. not Of the Inner. The object Of
considering the Inner Cabinet is 10
lind out with whom the real control
rests. But YOU cannot consider any
Question Of final political control with
olt bringing in Mr Redmond. So
when ] speak Of this inside Cabinet
shqse as exercising the power Of the
whole Cabinet mean that it exercises
tie power Of the whole Cabinet. subject
40 the veto Of the Irish Dictator; or IN
5beo ience 20 his commands. The way
Is ut clear till that is understood.
You may think il a hGmiliating posi-
on ror Mr. Asquith. and for his Cab
met. and for each member Of his Cab
net. Others think 80. But what We
ave 10 deal with is the fact
Besides the TWO members / have dis
FUSED in former letters. Mr. Asauith
Ind Dir. Lloyd George. there are three
bihers. making FIVE in all; the exact
lumber Of the famous or infamous
rshal under Charles II. The other
ihree are Lord Haldane, Sir Edward
trey and Mr.. Winston Churchill. Per
lsps Sir Rufus Isaacs might have been
ssned while he was still Attorney Cen
bal
Since Lord Haldane's recent visit Ia
bnerica his American popularity is so
fsat that no criticism which is merely
kfcal. as mine will be- can much
lsec IT. ! had much rather make no
tskism AZ all on a man so amiable
j ne Lord Chancellor. But ! have 10
tal with him as an adviser; as a
knher OF the Ring where is 10 be
sskt the centre of that larger cir
krference to which belongs the i'm
kanE name cabinet" Nor would
hY one desire 70 make any avoidsble
y ucsm on this holder Of a Judicial
kK so august as that Of Lord Chan
rlcr.
Tx might he possible TO forget for a
Mnent that ne sits on the Woolsack
ia 10 think OF him as War Minister;
lN more easily since his membership
Il AFR. Asquith's private Council
IA sided with his tenure Of the Wal
A. He brought TO that military
Ia "a highly trained civilian mind. II
IA believe. admitted that he early
lsaercd the administrative routine oil
IL war ONCE: reformed IL in i'm
'nr,nt particulars; was most com
ls,st Parliamentary representative oi
IT, ARMY: and presided in Whitenai
hm dignity and efficiency. He was
irsstahle figure when he went al
kssr of the German Emperor TO VII
IN the annual maneuVres.
Bat be was called upon TO create Of
sci as 10 administer, and TO the ousi
s az creating new militia h'
rfed himself unequal. l believe re"
81 ers Of repute think the Territoria
late a success or adequate 70 the
zsiness Of defending England agains'
h&sion when once the Regular Army
sal have left these shores, az some