The New York herald., 1921-03-18
Gives Ill Health as Cause Of
Retirement, but Rift Over
Irish and Russian Poll
cies Reported.
NEW ALIGNMENT SEEN
Austen Chamberlain and
Lord Derby Mentioned as
Likely to Succeed to
Vacant Post.
PREMIER is HARD HIT
Black-and-Tanism Looms as
Big Issue-Unionists to Con-
fer on Party Balance
in Cabinet.

Ter on Party Balance
in Cabinet.
Spccia, Cable to THE NEW York Hzr.LD
CcgyToht, 1891, by THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
London, March II. !
political sensation shook Great
Britain to-day. Andrew Bonar Law
resigned from his leadership In the
House Of Commons and also from his
position as Lord OF the Privy Seal In
the Cabinet. Ill health is given as the
reason for his resignation, and while
there is gossip Mr.. Bonar Laws own
letter and the manner in which Pre-
mier Lloyd George read it and every
available source of information con-
firm the official version.
1t is nevertheless true that his resig-
nation imperils the Coalition Ministry
and the tenure in office of the last sur
vivor of the allied war Premiers. Gcn-
eral elections are talked about already
In political circles
and the intimate man-to-man under
standing between Premier Lloyd George
and Mr.. Bonar Law which enabled the
once radical Welshman to hold the
hard headed Tories In line.
Chamberlain for Place.
Austen Chamberlain, Chancellor Of the
Exchequer and son OF the great Joseph
- III. - .fl u -
to succeed Mr.. Bonar Law as leader of
the Unionist party and AS Lloyd
Georges yokemate at the head of the
Coalition. While Mr.. Chamberlain mixes
with the Lloyd Georgian, temperament
almost as well as Mr.. Bonar Law he Is
notoriously lees popular with his own
followers. both In the House and in the
country at large, and critical develop
ments in politics may be expected.
The correspondent for THE New YORK
HERALD, while talking to one of the Pre-
mier's chief advisers IN Downing street
tonight, witnessed one CT the indications
Of the seriousness OF the problem Across
the court from the office In which the
adviser and the correspondent were sit
ting the lights suddenly flashed up In
beautiful big ROOM Mr. Lloyd George
had Just returned from the House of
Commons where he had read the pa
thetic letter from Bonar Law. The
Prime Minister could be observed nerv-
ousIy pacing from one end Of the room
70 the other constantly running his
Fcuds through his long hair.
Later, IN addressing the Twenty
cub, tonight, the Premier gave one
sure indication OF how he would like
the future to 20 when he declared that
Mr.. Bonar Laws retirement was only
temporary and defined the real gov
crnment opposition as labor. He said
that he had been assured Mr.. Bonar
Law would recover by the rest cure.
lie poled fun at his old Liberal party
and all it's leading lights and ridiculed
the idea OF its consolidating with labor
He sketched the future OF himself as
heading the Conservative party, purged
OF reaction and bringing In the best
clements OF liberalism with revolution
ary labor as the real opposition. The
Twenty Club" is strictly a Coalition
organization and the speech met with
unstinted applause.
ireland and Russia Figure.
Both Russia and ireland are assigned
az reasons for Mr.. Bonar Laws quit
ting. These stories. which are from
sources unfriendly 20 the Coalition, say
that Mr.. Bonar Law played set of
tennis after the Glasgow ceremonies
Monday and therefore can't be very
sick. They cay that the signing of .he
Russian trade agreement with Gregory
Krassinc, Bolsheviki trade envoy vio-
lates every principle OF Tory politics.
and say that the weakening OF the
Coalition over the reconquest OF Ireland
by black and tan methods also dis
pleased him. II was pointed out that
an editorial In the Morning Post this
week said that IL the Russian trade
agreement was signed there was MOTH
Ing for Bonar Law to do but hand in his
resignation.
In quarters close to both Bonar Law
and Lloyd George, however, these
rumors are denied. II Is stated that Mr..
Lloyd George has known and feared
for many months that Mr.. Bonar Law
might suffer a nervous collapse. so that
his resignation did not come az a sur
prise TO the inner circle. however greatly
Parliament was startled by the news.
They say II isn't a matter of Mr..
Bonar Law having taken a chill during
the Glasgow week end, but a long stand
ing condition approaching nervous ex-
haustion. The Premier, as we'll as the
opposition. gave very indication OF ac-
cepting Mr.. Bonar Laws excuses during
the reading OF the sensational letter In
the House Of Commons this afternoon.
Fears Complete breakdown.
Mr.. Bonar Laws letter OF resignation
as read by the Premier follows:
THE strain OF the last few years has
proved most heavily on me and. as you
know WELL for more than three years I
have had the greatest difficulty in doing
my work. Now am worn out snd my
medical advisers have warned mo that
my physical condition is such that unless
I have an Immediate and long rest an
early and complete breakdown Is inevita-
bic.
IN these circumstances have no
choice, and ! assure you that II always
will be a pleasure 10 me 10 think that I
Continacd OF Second Pogo.