New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-03
Charges of Graft in War
Contracts May Force Co.
alitiOn Government.
PRIME MINISTER
COMPELLED TO ACT
Latent Hostility In Own Party
Makes Situation Serious for
Sir Sam Hughes.

Toronto, April 1t would De so'Ns
TOO far to say that the charges made
in the House Of Commons last week
have resulted already in crisis Tor
the Canadian government. They have
however. resulted IN a crisis for SIT
Sam Hughes. Minister OF Militia. he
Prime Minister has summary capleu
Tor him To return from England. A
roval commission Of judges has Deen
named 10 investigate charges with
which his name is associated. ana on
the whole the weather probabilities are
decidedly stormy. Sir Sam himself be-
ing at times tempestuous.
The incident has revived gossip
about the possible formation OF a
coalition government. There Is httle
question that the present governments
nrostige has suffered TO some extent.
How much it is impossible to say
Among politicians there is cynlc!sm
with respect 10 the awarding Of con
tracts and money matters generally
hut whenever the issue reaches the
electors. as in the case OF tho Peel
County bye-election recently, It Is made
abundantly evident that the pubic
conscience y sum oNA'+N''N'
Coalition May BE Forced.
While talk of coalition has been per
sistently pooh-poohed by politicians on
both sides. il is just possible that the
nrcsent issue. combined with the grow
ing demand for registration OF all male
citizens for national service, measure
fraught with great danger TO the po-
litical party which would sponsor II
elone. NAV result in such an uprising
of public opinion that Goa lition gov
crrn,en. will become essential. In sucn
an event the Liberal names which are
most frequently mentioned as posSiI,D,i,e
members Of the Cabinet are sir IL
frid Laurier. Hon. Rudolph LemieuX'
Hen. G.. p. Graham. all former Domin-
ion Cabinet Ministers, and \, W. Row
ell. leader Of the Ontario Liberals
The immediate danger to Hughes
lies not so much in the gravity OF the
charges so far as they relate TO MN
self personally, but in the latent nos
tjlity Of a large section OF ms own
party. II - no secret that ms metnodS
in organizing and running the miilIla
department since the war started haNe
offended a great many OF ms own po-
litical friends. In the making, OF ap.
pointments and in the awarding OF
contracts he has often followed ms
own Judgment without reference 20 the
advice Of politicians who consider the''
views should be influential.
Backed by Prime Minister.
II has not mattered that there D.. not
another man IN Canada who could have
achieved the results in military organ
ization that Hughes has. The one man
who has apparently appreciated these
abilities Of Hughes. which fall little, il
any. short Of genius, has been the
Prime Minister, and up 10 the present
with such a powerful backing, the posi-
ton Of Hughes has been secure despite
the criticisms from many quarters.
The launching Of the specific kyte
charges. however. which focus myriads
OF rumors which have been in circula-
ton for months, brought 70 the sur
face all the latent hostility 70 hughes
within his own party, and the frime
Minister found himself threatened with
an open mutiny If he did not immedi-
ately take action.
As a result the governments opposi-
ton 10 any investigation OF the opera
tions Of the Shell Commission has been
withdrawn, and for the purpose OF IN
vostigating the charges royal com
mission, consisting OF two Judges, SIR
William Meredith and the Hon. l.. p.
Duff. has been appointed. The parlia-
mentary opposition declares that
commission Of judges is entire ~ unsat-
isfactory to them-that the onl " proper
investigating commission for the
charges is a parliamentary inquiry.
On this point there promises TO be
sharp clash when Parliament resumes.