The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-05-25
ULTIMATUM TO GERMANY
DISPELLED THE GLOOM
10y eo. |. keEN)


London, May l6.-(By MaIl.--Presi-
dent Wilson saved the British cabinet
from disruption.
Probably this is news to most Amer
leans and the president himself.
No one supposes his recent near
ultimatum to Germany was inspired
at all by the hope OF composing Great
Britain's internal troubles; but that's
what it did
April 18th. 1916. was Britain's dark
est day since the war started. The
most optimistic now freely admit
that the government was riding for a
fall. Premier Asquith declared the
country was confronted with a dan
ger of the most formidable kind"
This champion eompromiser OF British
history. this successful political peace
makers OF the cabinet had exhausted
the many tricks OF his trade and all
but given up hope.
1t was a REAL crisis.
The split was internal. One faction
Insisted that immediate general con-
scription was necessary IL the British
Empire was to be saved. The other
was equally confident that such iesis-
lation would wreck the empire and
lose the war.
Asquith had pleaded eloquently for
n compromise TO prevent collapse OF
the government
The leaders OF the two factions had
threatened to resign II their viewa
were not accepted.
In vain Asquith pointed out that a
disunited nation at this time would
be calamity; and an affront TO
Britain's loyal allies: that nothing
that could happen would furnish moro
encouragement to the enemy: while
the effect upon neutral countries could
readily be imagined
Asquith was finally compelled to adj
nit in the Commons his failure to
reconcile the differences In the cabI-
net. That was Wednesday afternoon.
Late in the evening tickers in
hotels. clubs. and theatres began tap
ping on Pres dent Wilson's anti.Ger-
man speech TO Congress. Il appeared
in fun the following morning togeth.
er with synopsis OF his note to Ger
many. The cabinet met at II O'Clock.
Three hours later the tickers flashed:
Cabinet differences settled. OFF,
cial announcement expected shortly"
The crisis was over. No new eie.
ment had been injected into the sit
uation other than President Wilson's
threat to break on diplomatic reIa-
tions with Germany. carry with IL
the prospect Of Americas joining tho
Allies.
Il wasn't mere coincidence. Only
a few hours before. Lloyd George
had given his final word" The
chief OF the ginger" brigade Of the
Liberal party had said that he would
get out OF the cabinet and take his
place with the opposition in pariia.
ment unless Ais fellow-cabineteers
agreed that aliaround conscription
was vitality necessary. This meant
that Bonar Law and other unionint
members would follow suit.
About the same time. the Labor
party leaders had conference at
which 1t was resolved to oppose 10
the limit any proposition OF general
conscription. and following the meet.
Arthur Henderson Indicated that bo
and the other two labor minister's
would resign IL Lloyd Georges pro.
gram were forced.
This was precisely the state of af.
fairs when President Wilson electrI.
ned England by his speech and
note. They oyershadowed the con-
scription wrangle. Wilson's .determin.
ed attitude and its possible effects set