The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-09
PREMIER ASQU|TH IS DETERMINED ID QUIT AT END OF THE WAR
Would Have Retired Ere This But for .Strenu- Ous Objections of
 His Wife

London, September 14-(Special) )-In the innermost political circles it is declared
 quite positively that Premier Asouith has announced his firm and unalteraple determination to retire at the close of the war As matter of fact, 1t Is said, he wanted to retire long ere this, holding that the strain of the present conditions was too much for him after the last seven years of almost constant political bat lie. To such course Mrs. Asquith strongly objected, and it is known that the premier in almost everything defers to the good judgment of his wife Asquith IS pardonably anxious to cut a big and honorable figure in history and he has come around to the view of Mrs. As- quith that if he can successfully lead the nation through to the close of a vic- torlous war future generations will place hlm side by side with the famous fig nres of the past, such as the elder Pitt, Who fought the most successful of all England's wars.
 Among those who supported Mrs. As- quith In her efforts to induce her hus- band to hang on were many unionists long among Asquith's most bitter political opponents. It is held by these men that Tall Of the present coalition government would be little short of national dis aster, and it is pointed out that many of the present unionist members of the government would find it impossible to secure under Asquith's only possible suc- oessor, Lloyd George. For although at the moment, in the face of the imminent danger which, it is believed, faces Eng land, the deep unionist hatred of the minister Of munitions is quiescent, it nev- eftheless exists in all it's one-time strength.
 Of course, in the face of the present situation, with the almost infinite range or possible developments, 1t is ridiculous to hazard prediction that claims to be anything more than the merest guess. But sEould Asquith retire at the close of the war and Lloyd-George maintain his present pre-eminence in the eyes of the general public, it is difficult to see how any one would have chance against him Tor the highest honor in the nation. There was time when Winston Churchill was held to be a dangerous competitor of the Welshman, and just after the war opened so great was the popularity of the country's sure shield" the navy, and all connected with it, that it looked like safe bet on Winston. In fact. it proved to have all the elements of ''sure thlng, for it never came off Winston IS now fishing or painting or teaing some where near Cromer, cogitating on the llckleness of the man in the street while Lloyd-George is setting coal strikes almost daily (perhaps), remedying muni- ton shortages (tme will telD, making England sober (before 10 in the morning and after 10 in the evening" and killing the Trade Union dragon maybe). Incidental ly Winston is probably finding much consolation in the reflection that human nature does not change ana that the po- litical future of both himself and his rival will always be controlled by the wayward public that so dramatically and so unexpectedly robbed him of the use of the admiralty yacht