New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-09
ASQUITH CABINET
FACING A CRISIS;
PREMIER MAY GO
UniOnist Desire to Control
Judiciary in ireland
the Cause.
lbs Cable n The Tribune !

London. June 9.--"The Daily Chroni-
Gle" says: "A grave Cabinet crisis has
arisen over the question of the claims
Of James Campbell, VI. F.. 10 the office
of Lord Chancellor of Ireland. 1t was
hoped that yesterdays Cabinet council
would settle this knotty problem ami
cably. but that hope has not been real
lied. The result. incredible though it
may seem. is that the coalition gov
eminent. formed under the stress of a
great crisis for the purpose vi waging
more efficiently the greatest war in his
tory, is within fortnight of its for.
nation threatened with destruction,
owing to the ambitions of a distin-
guished Irish lawyer. Never was there
a greater disproportion between cause
and effect.
an the event Of Mr.. Campbells APP
pointment the Irish Nationalists will
have no option but TO move a vote of
censure. That motion will receive the
support of at least a hundred Liberal
and Labor members. in addition TO that
of the eighty-odd Nationalists. A di-
vision on the motion might or might
not overthrow the government. II
would assuredly undermine its author
ity. however, and il would mark the
end of the political truce.
THE Nationalists' case is this: The
Lord Chancellorship of Ireland is one
of the most important offices in the
sister isle, for on the holder of that
Office depends the character of all
minor judicial appointments in the
country. He Is always an influential
member of the Irish executive. II a
Unionist were appointed to that office
at the present time il would be inter
pretcd by Nationalist Ireland as equi-
valent to a reversal OF Mr.. Asquith's
Home Rule policy. Mr.. Campbell is
an eminent lawyer and against his
personal character we have not a word
to say, but he has been mixed up in
the rebellous Ulster business. II was
blow TO Nationalist Ireland to see
Sir Edward Carson, after his Ulster
campaign, appointed Attorney General
and become a member of the Cabinet
with Home Rule not yet an accom-
plished fact. Still Sir Edward Carson
In his new Office will have nothing to
do with Ireland, but now to make his
principal lieutenant in the Ulster
movement the head of the judiciary
in Ireland would he to outrage Ma
tionalist feeling and bring recruiting
in the country to standstill.
THE Unionist view is: Having been
invited TO join ths government, the
Unionists are entitled to share in the
government of Ireland. The Under Sec
cretary is Liberal, so are the Attorney
General, the Solicitor General and Vice
President of the Department Of Agri-
In these circumstances we
are entitled 10 the Lord Chancellorship.
Moreover, in arranging the distribu
tion of Offices in this new government
this one was assigned to us, and it was
actually offered to Mr.. Campbell with
the Prime Minister'S authority"
1t is understood that Mr.. Bonar Law
and Sir Edward Carson are holding
Premier Asquith firmly to the offer to
Mr.. Campbell made in his name, and
will not hear of any compromise.
II was rumored last night that the
obdurate attitude of the Unionists may
compel Premier Asquith to resign Of
fee. Alternatively. if Mr.. Campbell is
denied the Lord CHARACTERISTIC of Ire
land. it is reported that the Unionist
leaders will withdraw from the Cabinet.