New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-13
Situation Is Like that Pre-
ceding the Downfall
of Asquith
Man Power a Problem
Unfavorable Military Condi-
tions and War Aims Are
Causing Confusion
By Arthur S. Draper

exists in England approXimating IN
many details that Immediately preced-
ing the downfall Of the Asquith gov
eminent. In the last week several gov
eminent ministers and Conservative or
gans have threatened to resort TO a
general election, Churchill being the
latest to suggest this method Of learn
ing the country's will.
That, Of course, is an admission that
the government considers its position
unstable. With domestic differences
Americans are not concerned, but they
are interested in the fundamental
causes Of the present political confu-
sion. The first of these is the present
unfavorable military situation.
Had the Lloyd George government
been able to point out now the fulfil
ment Of the many rosy promises made
last spring and early summer, its pres
ent position would be unassailable. In
stead, it must now ask the country TO
make further sacrifices Of men and
money. In the next ten days the gov
eminent must decide upon a new man
power bill and get IL through Parlia-
ment. After forty months of war TINS
problem is extremely complicated. NIL
itary eXigencies. however, demand its
immediate solution.
Question of War Aims
The second cause Of the present po-
litical confusion is the question OF war
aims. England is not united on this
question. Though the moderate party
IS rapidly becoming the majority, the
radicals are still extremely powerful.
On one side men are urging the Pre-
mier TO reaffirm his knockout" policy;
on the other statesmen arc advising
more moderate programme. Apparent,
" not even his official family IS united
on war aims. 1
While Bonar Law condemned Lord .
Lansdowne's letter severely Lord Rob .
ert Cecil found little difference be
tween it and President Wilson's ad-
dress. though he considered the tone
OF tho former most unfortunate. La
Dor members of the government DO not
share the views held by most of the
Conservative ministers.
Apropos of Churchills declaration
last night "The Westminster Gazette
comments:
Churchill appeals to President Will
sons statement and says II Is good
enough for him. SO it is for most OF
us. If we can really get Wilson's .
Of security and disclaimer
of all aggressive purposes into the
heads Of weaker brethren we need have
no fear that any specious moves OF the .
enemy will produce division in our
ranks.
Should Speak for Themselves
"But greatly as we admire President |
Wilson we see no reason why the Al /
lied governments should not speak for
themselves, and why they should not
have said what he said at the time
when IL might have Influenced the .
Russian people; nor why they should
have left it TO him to answer the Papal
note and allowed their agreement TO be
a matter Of inference. We owe a
statement of our war aims, not to the
enemy-who is very unlikely 20 deal
with US so long as he thinks he has a
chance Of imposing his aims on us
but to ourselves and our friends and
partners"
LLOYD George heads a coalition gov |
eminent, but. though Liberal, ne owes /
his position to Unionist support. 1t is 4
impossible to draw party lines now and /
brand Liberals. Labor men and Nation /
alists as modcrates with Conservatives |
and "bitter enders." Lansdowne is a |
Conservative, and so is Bonar Law, but /
their views are Numerically opposed. |
When in September the government |
received communications from Germany |
through Switzerland relative to peace |
the divergence of views
was not so great as at present. kuehl-
mann was endeavoring TO learn the war
aims of tho various belligerents, no
tably Of France regarding Alsace-Lor-
raine and Of Britain regarding Bel
GUM. Then came the reply of the Gen.
trail powers 20 the Vatican's note. Be-
fore that the Reichstag majority peace
resolution had been adopted.
Effect of Russia's Collapse