Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-07
BRITISH CABINET
UPHEAyAL PENDS
ON DOUBLE ISSUE
Split on Draft Which
Passes Commons - At
tackled on Dardanelles
TWO MINISTER'S oU T
Powerful Leaders of All Parties
Rally to Asquith to Prevent
General Election
LONDON. Jan. Z.

LONDON. Jan Z.
The Governments position is mos
critical today. Faced first by bitter hos
tility OF labor toward its oonscriptlor
bill. the Cabinet found itself also undei
heavy fire because OF the Dardanellet
failure
The London press divided space TO-DAY
between the accounts of the National
Labor Congress in condemning the con.
seription bill, editorial denunciation OF
the Governments Dardanelles policy and
the debate In Parliament last night, pre-
ceding the first vote on conscription
General Ian Hamltons final report
on the Dardanelles' campaign frankly
ascribing the British defeat to the Gov
ernment's failure to send rein rorcements
he asked. was printed In the morning
papers today. The opposition newspapers
seized upon IL as another basis for ed-
torial attack on the Asduith ministry,
using the Lloyd-George accusation too
late"
Powerful men Of all parties. however.
are coming to the Governments assist
ance to prevent a general election in the
midst of the world war. The conscrip-
tion crisis that threatens n Cabinet up
heaval, at the same time Is welding to-
gether many discordant groups in Par
liament In support OF the Asquith Min
lstry.
Some OF the most bitter opponents OF
conscription are using their influence to
stem the talk OF general election, be-
lieving II might have a serious effect
upon Englands fortunes in :he war.
On the other hand several leading sup
porters of the Government declare they
would welcome general election. They
believe the people would indorse con-
scription by overwhelming majorities and
return the Asquith Ministry to power
armed with vote of confidence that
would stiie the Opposition for the bal
ance OF the war.
Another source Of qualification TO the
Governments supporters TO-DAY was the
fact that opponents of the cOnsCription
policy rallied only los votes on the first
reading of the bill to IO3 for the Govern
ment.
The designations from the Ministry of
Arthur Henderson, Labor member, follow
ing that of Sir John Simon. Home Secre-
tary, and two other labor officers, an
under secretary and Lord Commissioner
OF the Treasury. revived rumors that
other Cabinet members would quit,
though the reports were not generally
credited
Admittedly one OF the most serious
factors in the whole situation was the
thnly yelled hint. dropped by President
Bellamy, OF the railway mems union, that
the railway strike might follow an at
tempt to enforce conscription.
Bellamy declared at the Labor Congress
that compulsion was direct blow at or
ganized labor and said 1t might arouse
passions that "even the Kings Govern
ment might not be able to oppose
1.-The consensus of opinion among MEM
-bers OF Parliament. Notwithstanding the
Labor vote is that vast majority of the
people of the country favor compulsion,"
said the Mall. THE Government may
take advantage of the Labor vote to OBJ
tain the mandate of the country and
so dispose of criticism. Some members of
the Government believe that an election is
inevitable and also that II is the best
solution OF the difficulties"