18 AUGUST 1917, Page 3

Mr. Neville Chamberlain has resigned his office as Director- General

of National Service, as every one expected. His new Department was created last December, but was stifled in its birth by the jealousies of the older Departments, especially the War Office, the Ministries of Munitions and Labour, the Local Govern- ment Board, and the Board of Trade, with one or more of whom Mr. Chamberlain came into conflict as soon as he tried to move in any direction. Besought to justify his appointment by recruiting a host of industrial volunteers, and thousands responded to the call. But he then found, through no fault of his own, that there was no work to give to the volunteers. From that moment the National Service Department, for all practical purposes, ceased to be, though we are officially assured that it is not extinct.