The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-12-08

mlRnCy upDulIQ1HS movement IN l5l
/ LIoyd-Ge0rge AS
BriGish Premier
I'm REAT BRITAIN'S boldest and
/ VI and most resourceful Statesman
having reached the goal of his am
bition it remains to be seen whether
he will be able to meet the expecta-
ton of his friends in this trying hour
At the very outbreak of the war there
was a strong feeling in some quar-
ters that Lloyd-George was the man
of all others who could best guide the
ship of state over a stormy sea. a.
In England's woeful condition of
unpreparedness he had done much to
arouse the nations latent patriotism.
Labor was rebellious. The mine work
ers threatened to strike and in the
shipyards and the munition factories
little was being accomplished. But
Lloyd Georges impassioned appeal to
the labor forces, coupled with threats,
had the desired effect He soon got
things a-going and the situation i'm
proved, if not rapidly, steadily.
Later on, as minister of munitions,
Lloyd George rendered incalculable
service to the empire. And as war
secretary in place of the lamented
Lord Kitchener he has been every
whit as masterful. All the while there
has been an undercurrent of opinion
that this potential leader should sup
plant Mr.. Asquith as head of the gov
eminent.
A week ago the cabinet crisis be-
came so grave that it seemed only a
question of time when Asquith would
resign and his aggressive rival be in
line for the premiership. 1t looked,
however, as if there had been a tenn
porary patching up that might carry
the Asquith government over the holi-
days. But the crisis came to head
suddenly. Lloyd-George quickly ac-
copied the Kings commission to form
a new ministry and he is making
good Roadway. He will have a coali-
ton cabinet, but with many changes
in the personnel.
One of the questions over which As
quith and the new premier fell out
was the size of the directorate and the
relation which Asquith should have to
it. The latter insisted on being ex
officio president of it, but Lloyd
George stoutly opposed such an ar
rangement. He himself must be in
charge of the war business. On no
other condition would the war secre-
tary remain in the cabinet.
Mr.. Asquith ranks high as states
man. He had led the liberal party for
long years with unfailing courage,
but stanch party man though he was
he was first of all loyal English
man.
But in the tunult growing out of
the way the war situation on the side
of the allies was handled, the tide
was running too swiftly against him.
In the circumstances no prime minis
ter could have stemmed it. Perhaps
it was a mistake for Great Britain
to get rid of him at this juncture, but
democracy is democracy and Lloyd
Georges turn had come for the ex-
ercise of his genius in supreme COM
mand.
The new premier is the first nom
conformist to hold the office. He be-
longs to the body which corresponds
to the Disciples of Christ in the
United States, but as the denornina-
ton is very small in Wales he is listed
as a Baptist. All his predecessors
have been members of the established
Church of England. Disraeli was a
Jew, but on becoming the leader of
the conservative or tory party he en-
braced Christianity and was received
in the Anglican communion.
Lloyd-George is a firm believer in
Irish home rule. He is a liberal of the