The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-26
LLOYD-GEoRGE BUCKED

When Mr.. Asquith began the organiza-
ton of his committee, however am in
formed, Mr.. Lloyd-George refused to sit
or it with either Lord Kitchener or Mr.
Balfour alleging that he was in radical
disagreement with their views on the con-
dict, of the war. 1t was obvious that
the committee must include the minister
or munitions, who is also one of the
most popular politicians in the country
ana the theory was that Mr. Asuuth
whose leading characteristic is LOYALTY TO
his friends and colleagues, would resign
rather than desert Lord Kitchener and
Mr.. Baitour. In the event of Mr. AS
quith's retirement, Mr.. Lloyd-George
would be the only possible prime minis
ter, for while the unionist leaders and
the Asduith section OF the liberal party
have their men well enough in hand to
compel them to accept Mr.. Lloyd George
for the sake OF national unity, the ex-
IRENE radicals could be relied on to have
no one but Mr.. LloydGeorge and par
ticularly no unionist statesman like Mr.
Eonar Law or Lord Lansdowne. This
was the condition when the cabinet de-
cided to send Lord Kitchener on his trip
to the east. His departure was seized on
by the Globe" which has been one of
Mr.. Lloyd-George's supporters, to an
nounce that he bad resigned and inferen-
TALLY to lay the blame on Mr.. Asauith.
The prompt action of the government in
SEppressing the Globe and denying the
resignation story squelched this plot and
Mr. Asquith is again on top, stronger
than ever.s Mr.. Lloyd-George has con-
scented to sit ON the war committee with
Mr.. Balfour and no. doubt with Lord
Kitchener when he returns from his tour
of inspection.
In all thees intrigues the country has
,tro1, 10, ln rr,,1
Bile unionist leaders like Mr.. Balfour. Mr..
Chamberlain, Mr.. Bonar Law and Lord
Lanscowne. They have steadily sup
ported Mr.. Asquith from beginning to end
and have refused consistently to make
any party advantage out of the mistakes
or misfortunes of the government. From
beginning to end their attitude has had
a steadying effect and their great expe-
rience of administration and of parlia-
mentary life has been freely at the serv-
ice of Mr.. Asquith A few Of the union
list guerillas like Sir Edward Carson and
Lord Charles Beresford have tried to
embarrass the government, but they have
received no sympathy and no encourage
ment from the leaders of their own party.
CAVE APPOINTMENT SOUND
Another interesting story of British
politics Is that of the appointment OF
George Cave to be solicitor general in
succession to Sir f. e. Smith who was
promoted to the attorney generalship on
Sir Edward Carson's retirement. The
man first slated for the Job was the
right Hon. J. III. M. Campbell, the Irish
unionist, M. p, for whom the Coalition
government has been trying to find a.
job for sometime. Mr.. Campbell is one
of the leaders Of the Orange party and
a very sound lawyer. A few months ago
1t was announced that the Lord Chancel-
Tor Of Ireland tho right Hon. Tgnatius
O'Brien. was about to retire from his
post, which is worth $4,000 a year, and
that Mr.. Campbell was to be appointed
to it. The Irish party was up in arms
at once against the appointment of a
bitter Orange partisan to n post which
controlled the entire legal patronage of
Ireland, including the appointment OF
magistrates, and after q good deal of
negotiation the matter was settled by
Lord Chancellor O Brien withdrawing his
resignation. 1t was felt then. however,
that Mr.. Campbell was entitled to some
sort of a job to make UP for his dis
appointment and it was proposed to give
him an English judgeship, two of which
were vacant at the time. English law
yer protested so vigorously, however
against the importation OF carpetbagger
from Ireland that this scheme had to
be abandoned. Then the solicitor gen.
eralship fell vacant and Mr. Campbell
claims were advanced for that Again,
however. the Irish protested. and they
were backed up by a good many of the
English who objected to the course pur-
sued by Sir Edward Carson and didn't
see why one OF his followers should get
the vacant post. In the end Mr.. Cave, a.
uniopist, ard one of the soundest law
yers in England, was appointed. His Sc
lection has given general satisfaction and
it q felt that the law department of the
English government is much strength
ened by the change.