New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-06
tCorvrrh. 1918 BIZ O. W. gmsug)

Of the Admiralty and induced him to
accept the Chancellorship of the
Duchy of Lancaster, next door to a
sinecure. Whether at that time or later,
he promised Mr.. Churchill place in
the War Council he has just created
inside Of the Cabinet Relying upon
that promise, Mr.. Churchill has re-
manned in what he calls in his letter of
resignation a place of "well-paid in
activity" At the last moment Mr.. AS
auth recedes from his promise, forms
his War Council Of Five and leaves Mr..
Churchill out.
There are therefore two points Of
black mystery in this business: and
two questions to be asked;
% Why did Mr.. Asquith withdraw
Mr.. Churchill from the Admiralty?
% Why did he exclude him from
that seat in the War Council which he
stood pledged TO offer him?
To neither of these questions can
any authoritative answer be given. But
repeat that people who are in a posi-
ton TO know put the responsibility for
both on the Cabal inside the Cabinet
which ! sketched above.
ought not TO use the word respon-
sibility in writing Of such men. They
are not responsible. They have neither
responsibility nor direct power. The
Prime Minister has both. The decision
in both cases was his and of neither
does he render an account.
] pause for one moment to draw a
comparison. We all know what the
German General staff is. IL consists Of
thirty, or whereabouts, of the most com
petent soldiers in the empire; tried as
by fire, chosen by strict competition;
rejected If found wanting on trial,
better men taking their places. To
this Great General Staff belongs the
conduct Of the war, and 10 II only.
u is not subject 10 the War Office, or
TO the Foreign Office, or TO any group
Of authorities whatsoever. theoretically,
the staff. like everybody and every
thing else in Germany, are responsible
TO the Kaiser Practically, they send
the Kaiser about his business when he
interferes. The staff is supreme.
Why Mr.. Churchill Goes.
What want to ask is what sort OF
expression do you think was to be seen
on their faces when they read the list
Of Mr.. Asquith's brand-new war
Council Not a soldier in the list. Eng
land is the greatest Naval Power the
world has ever seen. but there is no
sailor. A critic sums them up thus;
Three Lawyers.
A Philo opher.
a Merchant.
The lawyers are Mr. Asquith, Mr..
Ilovd George and Mr. McKenna. The
nbiiosopher is Mr.. Balfour. The mer-
chant Is Mr.. Bonar Law. They may
have. and do have, the advice of military
and naval experts, but the men who
decide are civilians, including such
"pcre politicia s" as Mr.. Bonar Law,
the retired Glasgow merchant, and Mr.
McKenna a lawyer b. profession briel-
less. and with a melancholy record as
Uonoe Secretary: now Fin. nee Minister.
II NAV be urged that Mr. ChurchilPs
ia not always n balanced mind, ana that
he is impetuous or even unstable. But
he has the priceless gift Of energy. lie
is born ruler, administrator, what
Won will: the incarnation OF executive
authority. IL he were wrong-and more
cspecially If he we're right-he could
al1av be voted down. lie would have
been one 20 four There was no danger.
There was immense help TO be had from
him. Said Mr. Asquith TO the House
yesterday.
ain situations varied and Of extreme
difficulty and delcacy ] have always
found him wise counsellor, a brilliant
colleague and faithful friend"
Yet he throws him over, exiles him.
sends him 20 tie front on duty which
Mr.. Churchill ~. discharge certainly
no worse but perhaps not much better
than any other major OF Oxfordshire
YcOmanry.
I impute TO Mr.. Asquith personally
none but high motives. But he TN
thinks of himself as party leader: OF
the party's future, Of his Radical col
leagues as men Of influence hereafter
with the constituencies. and therefore
70 be rcckoned with. ! do not call this
an explanation, but / know Of no other.
G.. W. S.