The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1923-05-25
BONAR LAW RESIGNS
AS PREMIER; CURZON
FAVORED AS SUCCESSOR
CONTINUED from Page Onel

Continued from Page One)
the necessity arises, he is only an
hours drive from London. According
to present plans, he will return to
Birmingham palace Friday.
BALDWIN CONSIDERED
Stanley Baldwin, chancellor of the
exchequer, returned to London sud-
denly from the country Saturday
night and returned to Chequers court,
the prime minister's summer residence
Sunday, without disclosing the object
of his trip.
While Lord CurzOn is looked upon
as the likely successor of BOnar Law,
Chancellor Baldwin is mentioned
prominently. During the prime min
ister's absence from London he has
combined the leadership Of the house
of commons with his other Office. He
is recognized as one of the ablest
members of the government; is per-
sonally liked and has been more than
once suggested as a possible premier
should a vacancy occur. He is not
credited with any special ambition for
the premiership, however, although 1t
is assumed tEat he would respond
to anything like a general call from
his party.
The tragedy of BOnar Law has af-
fected Great Britain deeply. The
news of his resignation will not be
known to the country until the people
read it in the morning papers. 1t
will be no surprise, although few ex-
pected it so soon. From both political
and personal standpOints it will be re-
ceived with regret, from the political
standpoint almost with CONSERVATION.
PARALLEL TO GRANT
From the we'll known specialists
called in consultation, Mr.. Bonar
Laws illness is universally inferred
to be a parallel to the last days OF
President Grant. Neither doctors nor
political nor personal friends have
said a word to indicate that the papers
were going to far in describing the
prime minister's condition as most
serious.
In his speech accepting the leader
ship of the conservative party, Bonar
Law promised his followers that if
and when he found his health unequal
to the burdens of office he would with
draw.
He has kept his promise and Mr.,
Bonar Laws untimely retirement will
be regarded by many of his country
men as having the proportions of a
calamity. His brief administration
has been considered on the whole
successful; his watchword of tranquil
ity was one the nation welcomed and
rose to. There has been a current
feeling that Mr. Lloyd Georges dir
ection of affairs had become too err
ratio, too full of surprises and of dis
trust of his tendency to keep in his
own hands the framing of all policies,
particularly those involving foreign
relations, without conceding to his
ministers the degree of responsibility
and initiative customary and consist
ent with the traditions of the British
government.
POPULAR OFFICIAL
Mr.. Bonar Law has grown immense
ly in the estimation of the country
since the war. He is appraised both
politically and personally as, above all
things, a sincere and honest man.
Criticism in one respect has been that
he tended too far in the opposite direc-
ton from Mr.. Lloyd George IN giving
the ministers of his cabinet too much
leeway.
There have been failures in domes-
tic policies, notably that dealing with
the housing problem and lesser mat
tiers, which failed to command the en-
dorsement of the public There has
been criticism also that the govern
ment has failed to assert itself as
the equal of France in the alliance,
since France marched into the Ruhr.
The ultimatum to Russia for which
Lord Curzon is supposed to be. respon-
sible, achieved doubtful popularity.
Still the country is likely to look
forward to a change with strong mis-