New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-20
The Cabinet Crisis in England.

nrese,t Cabinet crisis in England It Is
necessary TO 80 hack TO the history OF the
months. indeed the years, that preceded
the outbreak of the present war and recog-
nize the central fact that for some years
Great Britain had been governed by
marty or q coalition Of parties whose lead
ers utterly misunderstood the Europe in
which they lived and the direction IN
which all the great nations were tending'
The Asouith Ministry was not merely
nscjfst IN all It's convictions and acts, but
Il contained members, notably Lord HAL
dana whose affection and admiration for
Germany amounted 70 an obsessiOn that
wholly blinded their eyes 70 the facts IN
Continental affairs.
For wears Lord Roberts and number OF
the most eminent Of British statesmen
nerceived clearly that the Germans were
nrepsrjn4 for war. They filed the press
with their appeals TO their own country
mon 70 nrepare. Lord Roberts's speeches,
read now. seem TO have almost the char
ecter of prophecy. But to al this Liberal
acknowledgements leaders and journals
turned a deaf ear or responded with deri-
sive criticism.
In these years British ministers were
giving their attention to domestic PROB
lens. to old age pensions, to the eternal
nroblem Of Home Rule, to legislation d.
rected toward improving the conditions OF
life and labor IN the home country. For
period Of years Great Britain had ceased
TO "think imperially," and the ruling party
had forgotten foreign in domestic evils
and difficulties.
From this perilous condition the Servlan
crisis only tardily awakened the Asquith
Ministry. H. the critical week in July
when the whole world waited to know the
mind Of England the Asquith Cabinet had
no mind. Sir Edward Grey recognized the
facts: Winston Churchill saw the truth;
oddly enough. the much execrated Lloyd
George read the handwriting, but Morley,
Burns. Haldane and others less prominent
were not to be drawn aside from their
vision Of international amity or their faith
in Germans-the harmlessness for Eng
land Of German policies.
Not until Belgium was invaded did the
Asquith Cabinet consent to face the fact
Not until then could Sir Edward Grey
sneak with the assurance flowing from the
knowledge that behind him stood the ma
ioritv-the coalition majority Of Parlia-
ment-and even then Morley and Burns
left the Cabinet.
Once it did face the fact the Asquith
Ministry acted with no small skill and
courage Those who are most severe IN
their criticism Of Winston Churchill do
not deny his service in the opening days
OF the war. Sir Edward Grey has always
had the confidence Of the whole nation.
Ilovd George has risen rapidly in the esti-
nation of the Tories, who hated him most
bitterly year ago.
Yet the initial, tremendous blunder OF
the Asouith government in failing to
GRASP the world situation made 1t mani
fest that any new cause for popular dis
satisfaction would revive all the old
censure Of the error that preceded war.
The continued presence Of Haldane in the
Cabinet was q permanent grievance for
millions Of Englishmen who recalled his
eternal praise Of Germany and all things
German.
That the storm should break about
Winston Churchill is not surprising. The
fact that he RATED" TO the Liberals
would insure his permanent unpopularity
with the Tories. His temperament, his
personality inevitably brought him into
conflict with the professional naval off,
GERS. Of whom Lord Fisher is the most
eminent. The conviction that ne blum
dered at Antwerp is widespread in Eng
land. The failure Of the effort 70 force
the Dardanelles by ships alone, an effort
made at Churchill's insistence and against
the advice of both French and British
naval authorities, seems TO have been the
final straw that broke the back Of British
patience.
What has happened now in Great Brit
ain is wholly analogou. 10 the similar col
lapse Of the French Cabinet in the days
when disaster overlook the French armies
sent into Alsaco by civilian Minister of
War, and France turned from party and
bloc government 10 q Cabinet "of all the
talents" in which strong men were en-
listed and all factions represented
Americans will do well TO examine the