Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-07

that the personal offices Of the king
might solve the situation. and many
though that the .Asquith regime might
be continued. The king called the
pQrty leaders to buckingham palace
and conferred with them for more than
an hour. MIR. Asquith and Mr. Lloyd
George, of the liberals: Mr.. Bonar
Law and Mr.. Balfour Of the unionists,
and Mr.. Henderson of the labor party,
were with the sovereign. 1t IL many
years since II British ruler assembled
the representatives OF the different
factions tace-to-face when they had
shown themselves unable to settle
their differences. But no such seri-
GUS crisis has arisen before to require
such action by the king
Whatever passed In council Is held
secret, but the inference that the king
tried to arrange Il reconciliation ap-
pears most natural one. The five
statesmen departed separately. four In
their motor cars and the Workingmen's
spokesman, afOot.
Afterwards the king gave an audi
ence TO Mr.. Bonar Law. who declined
to undertake the formation of new
ministry. and then to Mr.. Lloyd
George. who accepted the responsible
ity. as every one anticipated he would
II the opportunity came to him.
The official announcement tonight
that Mr.. Lloyd George had undertaken
the task, with the cooperation of Mr..
Bonar Law. was notification that
tho new government would be coali,
ton. Any party government would be
impossible, because neither the union
lAtQ tha Iharn1p houn In
IN the house OF commons either one
must attach the Irish nationalsts or
tho laborites to itself to command
majority. The nationalists have re-
fused to participate In tho government
until home rule becomes established.
The laborites are sworn enemies to
Mr. Lloyd George because they resent
his accusations that the working men
have put their personal interests above
the national interests ut times during
tho war.
That the laborites are not likely to
support a Lloyd George administra-
tion was further indicated at a meet
Ing OF the parliamentary committee
of the Trades Unions today. which
adopted resolution unanimously ex.
pressing profound regret that certain
statesmen. influenced by the press
campaign. have in the hour of the na-
tion's crisis, entirely failed to observe
the loyalty and self-sacrifice which
they repeatedly urged upon the work.
men during the war"
The resolution continues:
Further. we earnestly hope that the
present unseemly quarrel amongst
those entrusted with great RESPONSE
bility shall Immediately cease and so
set a better example to the workers."
The Court Circular tonight, an
nOuncing the political audiences and
conferences at the palace today. adds:
"The king gave further audience
this evening to Mr. Bonar Law. who
intimated that he was unable to form
an administration. Thereupon the
king summoned Mr.. Lloyd George,
who, at his majestys request. under
took to endeavor to form an admins
tration." fltlaaaHa
The country awaits the rising Of the
curtain on the next act OF this his.
torical and remarkable crisis with All
expectancy which never surrounded
the birth thrOes OF any previous gov
ernment The Lloyd George ministry
means the direction OF the war by
dictatorship in the form OF an inner
council of the cabinet and means the
scrapping OF those elder statesmen,
whose supremacy in the councils OF
the nation, until they choose to with
draw from the scene voluntarily. has
always heretofore been regarded by
the British people as a matter of
course
Mr.. Asquith, Mr.. Balfour, Viscount
Grey and Lord Lansdowne must CO."
the Lloyd press has been crying. But
their going will be attended by wide
spreading misgivings among the peo-
pie who have thought their knowl-
edge and experience as necessary to
the government as the push and driv-
ing power of the group which will sue
ceed them.
Mr.. Lloyd George is committed to
the formation of war council and
the membership of that dictatorship
will be the most important and crucial
work he will have to deal with. An.
drew Bonar Law. the Earl of Derby
and Sir Edward Carson, all of them
conservatives, are most talked Of. Mr..
Bonar Law and Lord Derby would be
Continued on Page Four.) :.