The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-06
MR.. AsQUITH RETIRES.

Mr.. Herbert H. Asquith, contrary
to expectations created in the few
days Immediately past, has resigned
as premier Of Great Britain. The
King has Sent for Mr.. A. Bonar Law
and asked him to form q govern
ment; and Mr.. Law, who, before the
organization Of the coalition cabinet
was a leader Of the opposition, Is an.
nounced today to have declined the
commission. It is therefore pre-
sumed that Mr.. Lloyd George will
be summoned by the King.
King George is Of the Tory persua-
sion. He is in sympathy with the
attitude Of those Conservatives who,
though they recognize Lloyd George
as the strong man TO run the war,
would like to keep a Conservative at
the head of the government as q
brake on the radical domestic meas
ures he favors. It would precisely
satisfy the ducal party IL the dy-
manic Wclshman could be induced to
remain as q subordinate to Law, let
ting Law dominate in domestic and
Lloyd-George in war policies.
But evidently Lloyd George does
not want the thing done in that way.
Probably Parliament would not stand
by such a hybrid government. The
Commons Is still strongly Liberal. It
would not long permit n Law pro-
gram to. continue. The Tories wodld
expect Law to begin very presently
reshaping those policies Of taxation,
etc. which have been formulated
since Lloyd-George made his first
budget. The problem Of after-the-
war looms large in the mind Of the
propertied classes. They are willing
to pay for the war; to sacrifice in
comes and much Of principal, that
the empire may be saved. But after
the war they want the chance TO re-
habilitate themselves rs the property
class and the real rulers. They sus-
pect that Lloyd-George would keep
right on, after peace, with his indus
trial democracy movement. So they
would like to keep him out of con-
troll. II he becomes premier. and
wins the war, he will be dictator by
popular mandate. As Pitt is ac-
counted founder Of the empire,
Lloyd-George will. in that event, be
its savior. ., ..
But the welshman doesn't pro-
pose to fall in line with such q
plan. He frankly regards himself
as the man to save the country; and,
IL he is going 10 save IL, he wants
TO work out his own plans with II
afterward. He would not continue
in the government IL Asquith were
TO be president Of the war council;
SO Asquith had to resign. He would
not serve under Bonar Law; SO Law
could not form a government. They
will have to take Lloyd-George, or
else have a general election; and
in all probability a general election
would make Lloyd-George newt
able, anyhow. .-..
Back Of this cabinet crisis stands
the crisis in the military and po-
litical affairs Of the entente allied
powers. They are not winning the
war. They are losing ground. apd
they know it. Some Of the hack
grounds Of the present British
crisis have been explained recently,
In thoroughly understandable way.
II is explained that there are two
general schools Of thought about the
right plan for prosecution Of the
war. The "westerpers" want the
fighting concentrated on the Franco
Belgian front. They would maintain
a defensive position in the
near East, while pouring men and
into France, and attempt to
jam their way through the German
lines on the Somme. In support Of
this plan it is urged that the indus
tries of France and Britain are close
at hand. as are also the great. re-
sources Of men; that it costs less to
transport men and supplies dangers
are reduced. and communications, to
be held. do not demand the waste Of
vast numbers who otherwise could be
on the fighting lines. ..
On the other hand, the eastern"
school of strategy maintains that
the proper procedure is to amass a
huge army, possibly Of a million
men, in the Balkan area, and, while
maintaining plenty of pressure from
the Somme and the Russian fronts,
to make the great offensive in the
Balkans. This, it is urged, would
please Russia, which wants
the Balkan area cleared, and the as
surance that the Dardanelles will be
opened. 1t is supremely important to
the allies that Russia shall at no
time lose her enthusiasm. The people
. A.