16 DECEMBER 1916, Page 2

It will be seen that while all Mr. Asquitles Liberal

colleagues have retired, Mr. Lloyd George has ensured the representation of Labour in the War Cabinet in the person of Mr. Henderson. As for himself, he was confronted with the verbal difficulty that he had objected to Mr. Asquith directing the War Council and at the same time spending part of his energy on the ordinary duties of a Prime Minister. ,How then was he himself to be Prime Minister and yet sit in the new War -Cabinet ? Mr. Lloyd George's answer was to transferthe duty of conducting the business of the House of Commons to Mr. Boner Law. It is a bold step• to 'remove the Prime Minister from immediate touch with the House of Commons, but the whole of Mr. Lloyd George's scheme is extraordinarily bold. All we can do is devoutly to hope that it may enjoy the not un• common reward of boldness. We shall do all that is in our power towards that result. We are very glad indeed to see that Lord Milner is in the War Cabinet. Mr. Balfour's appointment to the Foreign Officte is very wise. He has almost unparalleled experience and a very steady mind not easily " rattled," as was proved notably duriog the Boer War.