Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-20
NEW CABINET WILL
Be NONP ARTISAN
Spokesman for Two Great Rival
Parties Confirm Reports of
Coalition Ministry.
NO CHANGE IN WAR POLICY
Not for Years Have Political
Affairs SO Overwhelmed Ma
ton With Surprise.
NO CHANGE IN WAR POLICY

nonpartisan Cabinet for the period Of
the war is an established fact. The
spokcsmen for the two great rival par
ties, Premier Asquith and Andrew
Bonar Law, made statements TO the
house OF Commons to-day confirming
'"ports of a coalition ministry. whIca
several newspapers launched yesterday.
The Prime Minister said that moth
ing had been arranged definitely, but
three things were certain-that the
Prime Minister and the Foreign Sec
retary would continue in office: that no
cnanee was contemplated in the policy
or the country of prosecuting the war
with all energy, and that the recon-
struction Of the Cabinet would not
mean any surrender by persons or par
ties of their political purposes.
Andrew Bonar Law. indorsing this
statement. said:
Our sole consideration is what will
be best for finishing the war success
fully"
Not for many years has a political
so overwhelmed the
country with surprise. Only week
ago Premier Asquith said in the House
Of Commons that there was no thought
OF a reconstruction of the ministry
IS DRIVEN
TO CHANGE OF HEART
The rapid pressure OF events abroad
and at home has driven the government
TO n change Of heart, and brought to-
Gether the elder statesmen" to deal
with situation charged with critical
clements. Events abroad have been the
severe revcrses of the Russian armies,
h II he
erful German opposition to the allies
lines In France and Belgium. and the
slow progress OF the operations against
'he turks. whose campaign is being
conducted largely by German officers.
The events At home have been fric-
tion between Winston Spencer Churchill
and Lord Fisher in the admiralty. which
one writer describes as the nerve-cen-
ter Of the nation, and the attacks upon
both the War Office and the working
men for their alleged failure to supply
the army with sufficient ammunition.
Parliament adjourned tonight until
June 80. Before its next meeting the
new Cabinet will be formed, and the
first act OF the Cabinet will be to chal-
House OF Commons to demonstrate it's
house.
The Liberal members met tonight
and expressed confidence in Premier AS
qu!th. who explained the governments
position The Conservatives also held
a party council
CHANGED
ONLY IN DETAILS
To-days reports have changed yes
terday's forecasts of the personnel of
the ministry in only two or three de-
tails. There is no doubt that the re-
organization of the government will
mean the snufting out OF some high
political ambitions. It is believed that
the most prominent members slated for
retirement are Lord Haldane. Lord
High Chancellor; the Marquis of Crewe.
Secretary of State for India Lewis Har
court. Secretary Of State for Colonies,
and Augustine B!rrel. Chief Secretary
for Ireland. The Marquis of Crewe and
Mr.. Birrell will go willingly. Mr.. |
Harcourt Will be raised to the peerage e
and promoted to be Viceroy of India.
Lord Fisher. First Sea Lord Of the
Admiralty. was in his Office at the ad
miralty to-day. which was taken to
mean that the government had refused
TO accept his resignation. making in
cvitable the departure from the ad :
miralty OF Winston Spencer Churchill,
First Lord of Admiralty. 1t is believed
by many that Mr.. Churchill will be
given the Marquis OF Crewe's port
folio at the India office, or that he will
succeed Mr. Harcourt as Secretary OF
State for Colonies. Mr. Churchill is a |
major in the territorials, and it would
cause little surprise if he should pre-
fer the fighting line to a Cabinet po-
sition which would give him no oppor-
tunity for his aggressive nature.
CONSIDER
EIGHT AS THEIR SHARE
Conservatives arc reported to con-
slider eight Cabinet members as their
share. and Andrew Bonar Law, opposi-
ton leader in the House of Commons; |
a. ]. Balfour. j. Austin Chamberlain, |
the Earl of Curzon, Lord Sclborne. +. f.
Smith. the Earl of Derby and Walter
Hume Long, are regarded as certain
ties.
The Labor members have decided to |
support Arthur Henderson for posi- |
ton 1t has been an article of the Ma
faith that no member of that |
party should serve in the British gov
ernment, but John Redmond will have
an opportunity to break precedcnts If |
he will consent to do so, and thus have
the Cabinet embrace all parties repre-
sented in the house.
Premier Asquith announced i'm tho
House of Commons to-day that steps
were in contemplation which involved
A reconstruction of the government
upon broader personal and political
basis
DOES NOT
ESCAPE CRITICISM
In a free discussion by the news
papers of the ministers abilities, even
Lord Kitchener has not escaped criti- |
cism The Times asserts that offers
by manufacturers to make shells were
coldly rejected, and after months had |
been lost they were implored to begin.
The Pail Mall Gazette says: Hercules
is not quite as young as he was" and
fConfinnaI on TIf,rJ Dooo