The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-12
FREE HAND FOR
 LLOYD GEORGE:
 HEALTH BETTER
War the Predominant Task. New Premier Says In
 Making Plans.

mier Lloyd George is recovering from a severe chill and will be out in; day or two. He issued a statement tc l the members of the House of Com. mons as follows
 '"The King has intrusted me with the task of forming a government ] have carried out the command. had hoped to make statement to the House on Tuesday. I now find il to be impossible. On Tuesday, MT Bonar Law, as leader of the House will move adjournment till Thurs day.
 ''The one predominant task before the government is the vigorous pros ecution of the war to a triumphant conclusion. I feel the government can rely upon your s-pport as long as they devote their energies effective- ly to t(at end"
 Will Have a Free Hand. Evidences accumulates from all quarters that Lloyd Georges govern ment will have practically a free hand. Revolutionary changes, such as the exclusion of the Naval, War and Foreign Ministers from the in-
 
 the whole power in the hands of five individuals, ar ebeing accepted gladly on the assurance that they will render quick effective decisions more feasible. The creation offhand of four new Ministries Athose of Labor, Pensions, Food and Shipping-is accepted in the same spirit, and Lloyd George may look forward to a very favorable House of Commons.
 In fact the only open criticism of the new government comes from the same papers which brought down the old one. The Northcliffe papers con- tinue their attack upon Balfour-a
 ''septuagenarian philosopher" Lord Northcliffe called him-and Lord Robert Cecil.
 At the same time they persist in savagely a3sailing Asquith and his friends, whom they jump together as "the Haldane gang" These news papers are particularly bitter over the fact that the Liberal leaders have not surrendered the Liberal party funds to Lloyd George for the po- litical purposes of the new antional government This is thought by the Liberals to be the opening of a new campaign of provocation intended to drive them into hostile action against Lloyd George, who is hatly advised to "spring a general election on the country" These papers predict that the dis solution of Parliament, even with a depleted register and the fighting men deprived of the franchise, would @,,k@ ~1 of the Liberal and Radical parties with Lloyd George. Some of those Liberals who are supporting the new government, but do not relish the idea of Lloyd George dictatorship, view this possibility with anxiety.
 Blockade Patent Results.
 Balfour and Cecil are criticised as being too tender in dealing with neu tral rights in relation to the block ade. Balfour may be relied upon to avoid any policy of reckless adven- ture, while at the same time, being more acute and practised contro- versialist, he may prove more eff fecttve advocate of beligerent rights.
 Reliable information here shows that the effect of the blockade has been even greater than has been stated in the entente press, and that there is small need of further excit- ing neutral resentment. Turkey is declared to be completely famine stricken, with wretched crop pros poets, and Germany's disappointment at her small booty in grain and oil in Rumania is believed to be bitter.
 k> the response to the demands for frightened blockade which will be made when Parliament meets. A strong policy in regard to control of shipping, mines, food and man-power is looked for.
 It is believed that Lloyd George will wind up the season as quickly as possible, so as to leave his cabinet wholly free to devote itself to war matters.
 Former Premier Asquith and his followers will will ,s. occupy Opposition The Independent Labor party, whose members are avowed peace advo- cates will also cross to the Opposi- ton side, creating visible split in the Labor representation. The Ma tionahsts will decide their attitude at a meeting today. They will press the Irish claims with emphasis, de- manding immediate changes in the Irish administration and the release of Irishmen arrested in the rebellion
 Bonar Law and most of the other members of the new cabinet, and the Lords who are cooperating with the new administration, went to the Palace at noon yesterday, kissed the hands of the King, and received their seals of office. The members who must seek reelection on assumption ofof office, unless Parliament passes a bill making this unnecessary, and those who are not yet members of iether house, are taking over their offices and will conduct them as if the formalities had been compiled with
 ernment's policy, to be made by Lloyd George or Bonar Law in the Com mons and by Lord Curzon in the Upper House, will be postponed until Thursday, when the vote of credit is moved.
 A Daily News editorial calls on Lloyd George to make up his mind whether he is going to govern the country or allow Northcliffe to govern it. It refers to the attacks in the Northcliffe press on Balfour, Lord Cecil and Long, and says:
 'The country must know who is