The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-09

''' ''hN't - Nv su'h " "aI ~ VIZ
present had been in progress for more
ihan ten months n change of Govern
ment could have been effected without
an outbreak of the scandal and political
intrigue which invariably accompany the
conduct Of a great war. They certainly
have not been lacking here, as previous
letters and dispatches to THE l. have
shown. Every effort has been made and
is being made to silence the scandal and
quash the intriguing. but there vas too
much foundation for the one and to-
much bitterness N the other for thesl
efforts to be fully successful.
Thu immediate cause hat made 1t inn
possible for the late radical Government
To continue IN office was OF course Lord
Northcllfre's revelation in the Times OF
the shortage OF munitions. which was
preventing the successful prosecution OF
TIE var by the Allies in general and the
B~i.tisli army in particular.
Although Mr.. Asquith in his mucn
quoted speech to he workmen at New
castle declared 'on the highest avail
able authority" that there was no Ii;h
In the charge that the army had been
"harnpcred' In aav way by the lack ,.
munitions OF any kind. 1t was soon es-
tabllshod beyond all manner OF question
that Lord Northcliffe's charge was true.
MI. Lloyd George mad no attempt to
deny II. Indeed. he admitted 1t. This
alone would have been enough TO Ina re
maize II impossible for the then Csbirtt
to have continued in sole shdr;c of tre
conduct of the country, which q In &c.
feet tn. conduct OF the war.
Dissc sion I'm Cabinet.
But even without this all sufflclen,
cause the Cabinet could not nave held
together much longer. In nothing has
Asquith shown his skill and ability so
clearly as the manner In which ne has
kept its warning elements in hand since
he became Prime Minister in 1908. TIL.
political intrigues which have been dis
tracing this country during the last few
weeks had their beginning long before
the formation Of the present coalition
Government. Mr.. Asquith. in order 20
avoid dissolution, was forced to seek IN.
cooperation OF the Unlon!st and Labor
leaders on account OF the internal dis
s,ns.ons OF his Cabinet
These discussions were many and
complex. Winston Church!ll's self-will.
for example. has 10 doubt often caused
trouble with his colleagues. This fac.
has been the subject OF public comment
and Mr.. Churchill has been the object o:
pubic attack in the press both o. his
own party and Of the opposition, as will
be recalled by readers OF THE Sun.
But, according to those who know the
more Intimate side OF political life. the
principal line o: cleavage in the Cabinet
was between Lord Haldane and Mr..
Lloyd George. Ever since the South
African war these two politicians have
viewed each other with suspicion and
dislike. and their hostility deepened and
became more acute when the Cabinet
had to face the problem OF the present
great European struggle This Will ex-
plain. what to most people Ii st:l =,
mystery. why Mr.. Lloyd George should
81 angrily and scornfully have -epudi-
ated Lord Haldane's statement in his Ma
tional Liberal Club speech with regard
70 the supply OF munitions, the work OF
Gen. Won Donop as head of the Ordnance
Department and the experiences OF the
special Cabinet committee on war sup
piles with regard to and private
contractors. 1t explains too why such
a storm should have ragged. and stan b.
raging. round an incident In which feS
,eople at FIRST recognized any real i'm.
~portance.
HHIdane Nominated Kitchencr.
1t IL we'll known that the appoint
ment last August Of Lord Kitchener as
Secretary OF State for War was largely
the result of an overwhelming public
demand which was first voiced by Lord
"a H. go d. Hhtnh Ia
controls. 1t Is not generally known
however. that the first suggestion OF
the appointment inside the Cabinet came
from Lord Haldane. quite contrary to
the charge that has been made against
him that he was intriguing for the
position himself. Lord Kitchener was
backed by Mr., Asquith, Sir Edward
Grey, Lord Haldane and Mr.. McKenna
and has always counted Mr.. Lloyd
George as a very critical colleague
In tho days before the war he was
one Of the most persistent believers in
Germany's pacific intentions and he GER
tainly shares the responsibility for Great
Br.tain's unreadiness to meet the
greatest crisis in her fortunes. Since
the war began, however, no mar has
been more successful In rouslng the en-
thusiastic national endeavor and no
Minister has been more successful In
preparing and carrying through emer-
gency measures. Mr.. Lloyd George. Il
is said. is convinced that he is the one
man who can save England. He knew
that the .Asqulth Cabinet could not go
on and is believed TO have expected
the appointment OF n new radical Min
,stry with himself as Prime Minister.
" this were so the formation OF the
Coalition Cabinet made these dreams
impossible OF realization. He accepted
the new portfolio of Munitions. know
ing. no doubt, that In this position he
could render great inc valuable ser
vice to the country, Doubtless too the
pictures1ueness OF the office, the lime
light II would attract and its freedom
from the trammels OF ordinary politics
appealed strongly to n man of his
temperament.
1t Is said, however, that some measure
OF disappointment set In when he dis
covered that Lord Kitchcner's position
had been strengthened rather than
weakened and that he remains. both
to his fellow countrymen and TO the
Allies, the one essential and all i'm
portant member of the British Admin
istration. Meanwhile II must ba noted
tina, Mr.. Lloyd George has MORALLY Of
Tended many Of his most enthusiastic
supporters by his coquetting with com
pulsory service, both military and In
dustrill. At the same TIM he has
gained other adherents.
Turned on Kitchener.
Every Rrutus finds his Cassius. Mr..
LLOYD Georges Cassius is apparently
Lord Northcliffe. This editor WAS. "a