The Washington herald., 1917-10-29
LLOYD GEORGE
FACING CRISIS
Political Discomfort Is Rife
and War Election
Seems Likely.
By JOHN LLOYD BALDERsTON
Copyright. I9lT, By the Mcclure NexspApsr
gvudicatel

BY JOHN LLOYD BALDERsToN.
Copyright. l9I1. By the Mcclure NsxspApsr
syudicate.l
London, Sept. 15.-Political discon-
tent Is Great Britain Is increasing SO
rapidly that many politicians now
predict a general election, the trst
war election. before the end OF the
winter
The Lloyd George government Is
exceedingly unpopular. What has
saved It until now. and many save 1t
until the end, Il the fact that no
statesman excepting II. II. Asqu1th
appears on the horizon as possible
head Of q new government And
Asquith. while all-powerful In the
House Of Commons, IL widely dis
- trusted in the country, as a result
of the muddles and procrastinations
OF the earlier days OF the war.
Attempted Revolution.
Lloyd George attempted a constitu-
the historic theory OF cabinet respon-
slbIlity. Instead Of the heads. of de-
psrtments meeting around a table in
Downing street and arguing until they
reached an agreement, the War Sec
retary and Foreign Secretary Admir-
atty. First Lord and President Of the
Board of Agriculture now run their
departments with no personal rela-
tionship with other departments and
are not members OF the war carbinet.
The Prime Minister. under the pres
ent system. exists to reconcile differ
ences between them, and to help him
self do this Lloyd George has created
a secretariat which tries to harmon
iZe the work OF the departments. and
is responsible only to the Prime Min
lister.
system Is Doomed.
whatever the result OF the coming
political crisis. 1t seems safe to pre-
dict that this system Is doomed. 1t
has failed dlsastrously. Never did
departments work at such cross-pur-
poses as now; never was departmental
jealousy so rife.
On the other hand men In touch
with affairs believe that under what
ever government comes in power dur
ing the war the form of war cabinet
invented by Lloyd George will be
continued
mier, Bonar Law, Carson. CurZon,
Miner and Barnes. the latter repre-
senting labor. The members, aside
from the Prime Minister and Bonar
Law, who Is Chancellor OF the Ex-
chedusr are expected to give their
whole time to the broader issues of
the war and not to interfere in de-
partmental work. as the members Of
Asquith's cabinet were compelled to
do. since they were all departmental
heads.
Opposing Lloyd George.
There are two factors of chief
Importance working for the downfall
OF Lloyd George. One is the growing
discontent in the House OF Commons.
the resentment OF the failure of the
Premier TO take the House into his
confidence. and the belief that he Is
attempting to govern regardless OF
the will of the House and OF the peo-
pie. The other factor is the hostile
attitude of labor.
Several times before the recent sd-
tournment the House OF Commons
was on the verge OF ousting the gov
'srnment. Each time, when the vote
on the Indian cotton duties was taken,
when the Irish convention threatened
disaster. when the Henderson crisis
came up, Asquith, as leader OF the
Opposition, supported the Premier, by
his silyer-tongued oratory won over
NAAC HudJOLlNgS sdNGu
George.
. How long. men are asking. will AS
{ Iuith be content to do this? Mean
J yhile. supporters OF the Premier are
tngry at the House and at Asquith,
and are threatening that the Premier
will himself insist upon an election.
The present House. which they recog-
niZe as hostile. does not represent
present feeling In the country, hav-
ing been elected in 1911; and the
Lloyd George sdherents profess to
believe that an election would return
an almost entirely new set of MEM
hers who would support the Premier
through thick and thin.
Patriots Avoid Election.
But patriotic men Of all parties are
anxious to avoid an election il pos
slble, as 1t would likely to throw the
country into turmoil and produce a
bad effect on the army.
Meanwhile organized labor Is In an
ugly temper. The Henderson incl
dent. when, in the labor view, their
representative in the war cabinet
was insulted, tricked and betrayed
by his colleagues, Is principally re-
sponsible for this feeling, which is
aggravated by grievances against the
great bureaucracy which deals with
labor matters, by pension muddles,
and widespread discomfort over re-
cruiting methods.
The laboring classes, and most rad
icals, are inclined to blame the ex-
treme Tories who form the most in
huential part OF the war cabinet,
Lords Curzon and Miner and Sir
Edward Carson, for what they term
the Prussianizstion of England.
They suspect Lloyd George of hav-
Ing gone over to the Tories. I'VE must
judge him." sorrowfully remarked an
old supporter yesterday. by the COM
pany he keeps"
The situation at present may be
summarized by the statement that the
government Is so unpopular, at least
in the House of Commons. that il
could not last a week. were there any
other government ready to take its
place. But the view taken of Lloyd
George in the House may not be that
taken by the country; and there is no
way to get at the opinion of the peo-
pie except by holding the ng-deferred
election.
The present House would ra ther have
Asquith as Prime Minister than any
one else: but 1t fears, and probably AS
quith and his Liberal supporters fear