New-York tribune., 1918-03-10
Premier Himself Expected
to Survive Drive of
Opponents
Press Policy Assailed
Moderates Work in Open for
Wilson Peace and Labor
Grows in Power
staff Correspondence


LONDON, March 9.-"The ship of
state is having a rough passage just
now, but it appears still to be sea-
worthy"
That is the observation of a keen
political judge regarding the present
position of the Lloyd George govern
ment. Ministerial changes are probable
within week. but Lloyd George is al
most certain to continue at the helm
Never since he became Premier has
Lloyd George faced so many sharp
shooters. There is nothing strange in
this. 1t has been the fate of every
belligerent government when the fort
unes of war were temporarily turned
against it. To-day the George govern
ment is being attacked; first, because
the Premier has enlisted the services
of Northcliffe, Rothermere, Beaver
brooke and other newspaper proprie-
tors; second, because the shipbuildng
programme has fallen down; third, be-
cause labor is dissatisfied with the
man-power programme, and fourth, be-
cause a considerable body of opinion
considers the day of the so-called
knockout policy past.
Complalnants under the first heading
include parliamentarians of every
party The unfortunate way in which
Jellicoe and Robertson were removed
from the leadership of the navy and
army, respectively, has brought their
friends to their defence and has
brought storm around the heads Of
Lloyd George and his ministers, Ged-
des and Derby
NO politician can question the gov
ernment's right to reduce these men.
but the method Of their removal IS sub
Ject to violent criticism. Sir Edward
Carson and Austen Chamberlain. both
Tories, are just as critical as Asuuith
and other Liberals. On Monday Lloyd
George expected to present his case
before Parliament and lively debate
was in store. Among the critics on
this score are men who have been op-
posed to the war policy of The Times"
Daily Mail" and '<Daily Express"
which are controlled by the Lloyd
George ministers mentioned.
Real Fight Against Press
Though they are making a fight
against these peers, their real opposi.
tlon is aimed at the war policy of their
newspapers. In recent speech Geddes
blamed shipping employers and en-
ployes fer the breakdown in the output
of tonnage. Immediately the shipbuild-
ers' federation and the shipyards' trades
unions issued statement placing the
responsibility "withn the government
itself" More will be heard on this sub
ject soon because the whole fate of the
Allied cause rests on tonnage.
More complete details as to U-boat
be expected henceforth. The shipping
problem is a much more serious one for
the government to handle than the
criticism of newspaper minister's La
Dor forces, notably the Anna lgamatedSo-
clety of Engineers and the miners have
yet to settle their differences with the
government The former maintain their
strong stand against the conscription
OF their members until all the un-
skilled or skilled workers have
been drafted
The moderates, just as strongly op-
posed to the advocates of military
knockout, are now working in the open.
For the first time since the war began
those who would stake everything on
military force and ignore diplomacy
as supplementary weapon find them
selves assuming defensive attitude.
Wilson Moderates' Spokesman
President Wilson has become the
spokesman of the moderates of ali the
Allied countries, and as no one else
has been able to advance better pol
icy his is being accepted. Asquith is
unquestlonably the strongest support
er of his policy outside the govern
ment; within he has several.
There is no mistaking the growth of
the political power of labor. When