28 JUNE 1913, Page 19

Other rumours declare that Sir Rufus Isaacs is to be

made Lord Chief Justice, Lord Alverstone's resignation being daily expected. This is clearly ill-founded gossip. After all that has happened no Prime Minister could possibly fill this office in the way suggested. The Lord Chief Justice, as the head of the English Bench, must be a man whose delicacy of feeling and action, whose discretion and whose candour, can absolutely be relied upon never to break down or be subjected to temporary eclipse. Now, however favourable a judgment is passed on Sir Rufus Isaacs, no one who takes an impartial view of the facts can say that he is conspicuous for the qualities we have named. His appointment at this moment would cause dismay throughout the country.