Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-03
Hive CABINET MEMBERS
ITO HANDLE WAR MEASURES
Believed This viii BE Outcome of
Political Crisis Now Sensation
Ss$ of Hour In England.
ssoNIE RESERVATIONS RuMoRED
Attacks Upon Government Rise IN
Highest Tide Since Beginning of
Conflict-Trcnd of Discomfort Is
Based ON SIowneSS and Iuaction.
IBy Associated Press !

81 LONDON. December 2-l'hc 3oliti-
%caI crisis which is the newspaper sem
Z sation OF tho hour. IS generally be-
selieved TO mean the future control Of
Sall war measures. both military and
economic. by Cabinet directorate Of
FIVE, advised by General Sir William
4 II. Robertson, chief of the imperial
staff. and Admiral Sir John +. .Iciliroe.
first sen lord.
5l The question of the resignation of
Premier Asqu,th. TO give place for
\ David LLOYD George ar Andrew Honar
4 Law. also is discussed. hu; that MIR.
Z Asquith Will resign appears imDrob-
able. The Premier had long audience
with the King to-day, which furnished
~ basis for the afternoon papcrs 10
predict his resignation. Eut ne would
consult with the King. as Il matter Of
course, over any important government
changes
war council was formed In the
Cabinet last year but the minimum
number Of five. which Mr.. .AsGu!'h then
announced, has heon exceeded. and the
popular impression i that the council
has been largely a failure. because all
OF It's DECISIONS were subject to debate
and ratification ny the full Cabinet.
The forecast OF the new war coun-
cil-Premier Asquith. David Lloyd
George, Andrew Rorar Law. Arthur !.
Ralfour and Sir Edward Carson-stiIl
stands, hu; doubts arc expressed
whether Sir Edward Carson. who rc-
signed from the Cabinet a year aEo
because he WAS dissatisfied with the
governments policy in the Balfans
when Serbia was being hard pressed
Will rejo!n. The attacks upon the gov
eminent and certain members of the
government have recently risen TO the
highest tide attained since tho begin
ming Of the war. Although the news
papers have attacked the government
and individual ministers. whenever II
was thought affairs were going wrong
there has been no press censorship
whatever on political discussion. and
the papers deal with the administers
tion and public men as freely in war
time as the American papers do in the
heat of a presidential campaign.
While the Northclnc Press and
the Morning Post have made the
fiercest assaults even such careful
speaking journals as the Daily Chron-
Gle. the Westminster Gazette and the
Manchester Guardian have recently be
come critical The trend OF discomfort
has been partly against the govern
ment system, partly against certain
members OF the Cabinet. SlowneSs In
reaching decisions. and inaction, is the
Eist of the Indictment The principal
counts OF this are the man-powcr and
food questions, while recently dissatis-
faction with what some considered n
want OF viEor in the management Of
the navy and weakness in the Foreign
Office has increasingly expressed
The appointment OF a food dictator
was announced more than n fortnight
ago. but none has hccu appointed Yet.
This is one complaint. The unwieldi-
ness Ola Cabinet of twcnty-three for
managing great war is a point on
which the critics seem unanimous. As
counterbalancc TO the critics, there
is a widespread and wc!Ehty, but less
vocal, sentiment that they fail to credit
the administration with th> great work
1t has accomplished in % military and
financial fields withiS two years.