ASQUITH, HERBERT HENRY, an English statesman and lawyer, born in Morley, Yorkshire, on Sept. 12, 1852. He was educated at Oxford and shortly after his graduation was admitted to the bar. In 1887 he appeared in the defense of John Burns, labor leader, during the latter's trial for his participation in the so-called riot in Trafalgar Square, in London. Two years later he was one of the counsel of the Irish Nationalists be fore the Parnell Commission. He was elected to Parliament in 1886 and in 1892 he was made Secretary of State for the Home Department. He took an active part in the Home Rule debates, becoming one of the most conspicuous figures in the House. In 1894 he drew up the bill pro viding for the disestablishment of the Church of Wales and supported that measure until its rejection by the House. He resigned his seat in the Cabinet in 1895, following the defeat of the Liberal party, but continued in Parliament as a member of the Opposition. During this period the Conservative party gained ascendancy and Asquith's reputation steadily increased. He supported the Government throughout the Boer War but defended free trade following the movement for protection led by Joseph Chamberlain. He was appointed Chan cellor of the Exchequer in the Ministry of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, when the Liberals regained power in 1905. In 1908 he was appointed Prime Minister and took an aggressive part in the for mulation of the Liberal reform program. Many important measures were passed during this period, the most important of which was the law depriving the House of Lords of its veto power following the rejection by the House of Lords of the budget of 1909. He won the hostility of
the advocates of woman suffrage on ac count of his opposition to that movement. He finally consented to permit an equal suffrage amendment to the electoral bill of 1912, but owing to a technical ruling it was necessary to withdraw the entire bill. He was accused of betraying the suffrage cause and the attitude of the woman suffrage leaders became even more hostile than before. From 1908 to 1916 he held the position, not only of Prime Minister, but of First Lord of the Treasury. At the outbreak of the Euro pean War he also took over the office of the Secretary of State for War. His at titude as Prime Minister at the outbreak of the World War was patriotic and he supported all measures undertaken to bring Great Britain into active partici pation following the declaration of war with Germany. As the war progressed, however, he was considered to be over cautious and lacking in energy and deci sion. He was succeeded as Prime Minister by Lloyd George in 1916. In the elections of 1919 he was defeated for Parliament, but was re-elected on Feb. 25, 1920, as a member from Paisley, Scotland. He at once took the place of the leader of the Opposition, and opposed strongly most of the measures relating to Ireland and the industrial situation in England brought forward by Lloyd George in the House of Commons.