Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-12-08
David Lloyd George Accepts
Premiership and First
Lord of Treasury.
NEW CABINET MAY
SKATER TRADITION
Understood That Strong Business Ele-
mcnt Will Comprise Cabimet-Situa-
ton Presents Opportunity for
Pressing Irish Question.

London, Dec. 7. = David Lloyd
George, at Buckingham palace to-
night, formally kissed the kings
hand, on his acceptance Of the office
of prime minister and first lord of
the treasury.
This indicates that in an unexepect-
eddy short time, the new premier sees
his way to the formation of an adj
minlstration, and he probably was able
to submit to the king a preliminary
draft of the list of the principal pro-
posed ministers.
Doubtless much remains to be done
in the way of allotting the positions
and so far as the public is concerned,
the personnel Of the ministry is mat
ter purely of speculation, but the
premier still has plenty of time be-
fore he has to meet parliament on
Tuesday, to complete the details, and
he will doubtless be in position to pre-
sent to the house of commons his new
national ministry, representing all
parties, with the possible exception
of the Nationalist, and, if common
report is to be trusted, comprising
strong business element.
Has Support of LabOrites.
Little reliance can be placed on the
numerous reports of names men,
toned during the day, but it seems
certain his field of choice is much
wider than was hastily assumed when
the admittedly difficult task confront
ing him was upperomst in the public
mind and provoked misgivings rel
garding his chances of securing any
continued support in parliament.
These misgivings, to a large extent,
has disappeared, mainly owing to the
fact that he has been able to gain the
support of the Labor party, by Of
fering two of his ministerial positions
and three under secretaryships, to
that party.
With the vote of the Laborites, to-
gether with the bulk of the Unionists
and large section of the Liberals,
who are demanding a more energetic
prosecution of the war, Mr.. Lloyd
George probably will command a
working majority in the house Of COM
mons, while further asset will be
the benevolent neutrality of the MEM
bers of the late cabinet, in the ma
tional interest. Possibly many parli-
amentary and ministerial traditions
will be jettisoned, but Mr.. Lloyd
George has reputation for courage
and boldness and is not a great stick
Ter for traditions. Therefore, some
surprises may appear in the distri-
button Of the new offices. What al
ready is apparent, however, is that
the new ministry will not, as was at
first assumed, be a mere glorified
war council.
How Mr.. Lloyd-George proposes to
get over the difficulty of his own MAX
ing, when he announced that the prem
Ter was too occuuied with other import
ant duties to preside over the war
council, is still one of the problems
unsolved.
There may be some restiveness on
the part of a section of the Labor
party, but this is not expected to in
terfere with the completion of the cab
met. 1t is stated that feeling has been
aroused in the party, that the new
policy of "thoroughness," adopted by
the government, may include the ma
tionalization of the railways, shipping
and mines.
The greatest interest centers in the
personality of the new foreign sec
rotary. Two names are mentioned,
Mr.. Lloyd George and Lord Curzon. 1t
is generally assumed that the latter
will be the favorite for the post.
The announcement in the court cir
cular tonight that he had accepted the
position Of prime minister and first
lord of the treasury seems to show
that Mr.. Lloyd George has no inten-
ton of taking the foreign portfolio.
Lord Northcliffe has disavowed any
intention of entering the new cabi-
net.
To Help Home Rule?
One Of the most interesting matters
still to be decided is the attitude
of the Irish party. Mr.. Redmond
now has, perhaps, the greatest OPP
portunity he has ever had, to secure
the settlement of the home rule ques-
ton. The position of the new cabi-
net will not be so secure in the house
of commons as to make it able to dis
regard the Irish vote. Hence, the
CONTINUED on page six.)