The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-14

FRENCH PREMIER
HAS RESIGNED
Continued from page -
unimpeachable idea, but the point is
whether machinery set up already will
achieve this end. Lloyd-Georges in
}stinct is sound in so far as he propos-
es to substitute systematic council
Of ministers for the past spasmodic
and Intellectual conferences, but he
will come hopelessly to grief unless
he defines more precisely than did
Bonar Law yesterday in commons,
the exact duties of the councils mill
tary committee.
Lloyd-George was back in London
today and it was expected he would
make an early speech in the house or
commons fully explaining the council
plan. London looked forward expect
antly to this event since it seemed
likely the elements antagonistic to
the premier would combine in an effort
to force from him an explanation Of
his Paris speech-along the lines
indicated by former Premier Asquith
yesterday
| The Manchester Guardian today ex-
pressed doubt that there was any cab
| met crisis in England, believing the
war cabinet would entirely agree.
with the policy of an inter-allied
tcouncil. Chancellor of the ENchequer
Bonar Law, the newspaper pointed
out, has always said he would re-
main in the Lloyd-George cabinet
only as long as the government re-
tanned support of the unionists.
"There is considerable unionist OPP
position now,' the newspaper con
cluded, which, however, may be
changed by the premier's explana-
ton"
Viviani as Successor.
PARIS, Nov. 14-Rene Vivian,
former premier and later minister OF
Justice under Ribot, was regarded to-
day as being the most likely success
sor to Professor Painleve as premier.
Downfall of the Painleve ministry
| has been expected for several weeks.
| 1t has been realized the ministry was
| in the nature of a makeshift. Pain
! leve formed it on the basis of truce
with the socialists, but their support
| had never been definitely pledged.
LIoydGeorge Explains.
| LONDON, Nov. 1.-THE fight
against Premier Lloyd Georges sup
port of an inter-allied war council
came to a head in the house of COM
mons this afternoon when the pre-
mier himself took the floor to explain
| the agreement creating the organlza-
ton. He emphasized that the inter-
allied war council had mo executive
power"
Final decisions as to strategy and
as to the movement of troops Will
rest with the governments" he de-
clared. 1.-THE allies object in the
plan was to have a representative
4 central body which should watch the
whole operations of the war and CO.
ordinate plans and If necessary pro-
pose new ones.
Lloyd-George suggested that the
house OF commons devote next Mon
day to a detailed debate on the
whole war council plan. He then
read in full the agreement between
the three governments of England.
France and Italy creating the war
council.
Not Carried Out In Practice.
l[By J. w. T. Mason, Written for the
United Press.1
| NEW YORK, Nov 14.-Proposals
of the allied governments for the
formation of a unity of command for
all fronts, will not be carried out in
practice. Indications already point to
a radical change being made in the
first form of the idea which was to
give them supreme authority, an
inter-allied staff somewhat similar
to the power of the German general
staff.
Marshal Won Hindenburg and Gen.
eral Won Ludendorff possess their
vast strength, not solely because they
have supreme military command, but
also because the political leaders Of
Germany and Austro-Hungary are
subordinate to them Continuation
OF this method of government is the
principal obstacle to peace and was
the reason why the United States
entered the war to make the world
safe for democracy.
1t is impossible for the allies to
give to their own military leaders
the political power of the German
| militarists. A change Of this nature
not only would react unfayorably
against the allies politically. but also
might cause a military disaster by
overwhelming the allies generals
with political problems no democratic
soldier is competent to handle.
| The united military control of the
central powers has had terrible dis
asters that must not be forgotten.
| If the allies were to accept the prin-
! ciple of the Won Hindenburg dicta-
! torship, which allied country would
! volunteer to be deserted as Won Hin
denburg has been compelled to de-
! sert Turkey? 1t was the German die
ltatorship that preceded Won linden
burg's which shattered itself to pieces
against Verdun while the still earlier
relationships lost the battle of the
Marine and could not break through
the weaker Anglo-French lines in the
snriaS of hatt1es for Calais