New-York tribune., 1905-04-16
LONDON NOTES.
YeuHgsters ct The FrOnt-Ihe AdeE-
ph "Hamlef."
Iondon. Aprll

smoking room summary OF what Is going ln
Parliament, and It is fairly accurate one front
bench is as duh and absent minded as the other:
ana the veterans are followed with languid in-
,erest IN defence or in attack. It is only when
one Of the three young 'hustlers'' is on his feet
that the House nils mp and debate regains Its
fascination for bored spectators. These are Lord
Hugh Cecil Mr.. Lloyd-GeOrge and Mr.. Winston
Churchill-the brightest and most aggressive
spirits among the new men. Each has indivfd-
uality Of style, brilliant gift OF phrasing and
strong sense OF humOr: and not one OF them Is
ever duh. AS they are all Free Traders, they
have not crossed swords in debates on the fiscal
question; and Lord Hugh Cecil. while not con-
spicuous for discretion. Is cautious 20 invite
attack from his two brilliant opponents on other
matters Spectators In the galleries often ma
themselves wishing for triangular duel OF Mr..
didshipman Easy's sort among these agile and
buoyant youngsters; yet they are well content
when OF them takes the floor and the others
look on with intense interest. for there is en-
tertainment in store for them. without doubt
they exercise stimulative effect one upon an
other: and certainly their oratory IS a powerful
tonic in these days OF political anRmia. While
Lord Hugh Cecil is the most earnest and Mr..
Lloyd-George the most humorous debater. Mr.
Churchill IS the most audaci0us assailant and
has the most brilliant capacity for politics.
Mr Churchill never loses an opportunity for
attacking the Prime Minister for not making up
HIS mind on public questions and for treating
the House with deliberate discourtesy; and cOnse-
quently he is not popular on the UniOnist side.
where he Is regarded as a deserfer and a traitor.
There are moments when he trips lightly on the
verge Of umparliamentaFy conduct, as when he
charges Mr. Balfour with organizing boycott
Of silence and withdrawal. with resOrting to
miserable and disreputable shifts TO exc out the
with offering every humiliation TO the House
and accepting every humiliation for himself in
the dregs OF his career. As merciless in his
assault upon the Prime Minister as Lord Ran
dolph Churchill used 10 be In attacking Mr..
Gladstone Mr.. Churchill is almost equally brill
liant in sustained criticism OF complex policies.
His speech this week on the army estimates has
been as destructive IN argumentative force as
II has been entertaining in phrasing and byplay.
He convicted the Secretary for War OF incon-
Eistency in pledging himself to economy year
ago and then adding q million TO the estimates
and Justifying II by the theory that the United
Kingdom could not be invaded and was
longer liable TO the dangers confronting other
nations. Instead Of cutting down the cost and
increasing the efficiency of the service. as had
been done in the navy, Ministers were bringing
in the heaviest estimates ever known IN time Of
peace and assuming that army was wanted
solely for India, when the Anglo-French agree
ment and the campaign in AGanchuria had made
the situation there more secure than formerly.
and that the resources OF home defence. the
militia and the volunteers. could be safely d.
nlihished. This was trenehant criticism: and Il
was enforced by me1cess ridicule OF the appli-
cation OF the principles Of Christian Science to
imperial defence. The Prime Minister" he re-
marked. was convinced that IL he said a ques-
tiOn not before the country il was not be-
fore the country; that II he said a resolution
OF no importance il of no Importance;
ana the Secretary for War believed that If he
only repeated sufficiently frequently the asser-
tion that these islands could not be invaded we
should become secure" Mr.. Churchill clearly
has inherited his fathers caustic humor. as well
as his attachment 10 retrenchment and practical
reform.
Mr.. Arnold-Forster, when he was appointed
Secretary for War. was considered the best in
formed specialist on military questions in the
Commons with the exception OF Sir Charles
Dixie. He is now condemned all sides
amateur, who has discouraged and demoralized
every branch Of the service. and is unable to
give an ineligible account OF his own plan Of
reorganization, or why he is advocating prin-
ciples AID policies which he formerly denounced
as unscientihc. Probably i'll health has had
much to do with his failures in the War Office
ard Oh the front government bench; but
stronger viii than his is necessary in counter
acting the bulk OF the expert opinion OF the
army that nothing can be done TO restore the
efficiency OF the military defenees unless con-
seription be adopted. Taxpayers are now con-
WINGED that. while the army costs in sterling
nearly eleven millions more than Il did before
the Boer war, there is little TO show for the
money. and that much Of it has been flung away.
IA =.
there has been no marked increase in the reg
ular army. and recruiting was never worse; and
the main resource upon which the Secretary for
War depends is compulsory foreign service for
TIE militia in time OF The estimates have
been run up RElIie amateur reformers. as Mr..
Churchill has said, have been producing schemes
for amusing and perpleKing the Commons and
calling old things by new names; and these
rnkering measures are not like Mr.. Cardwells
reforms, by which increased efficiency was Sc
ored. a new Liberal government can hardly
be expected 10 improve upon this record Of in
Efficient amateur management unless Lord Rose
berys advice De followed and Lord Kitchener be
employed 10 set both the War once and the
army in order. Probably he is the only English
man with a viii strong enough 10 defy all the
marinets IN service and TO resist social influence
MT Otho Stuart is a theatrical manager with
genuine artistic impulses man Of cOnsidera-
BE wealth. he managed Mr.. Benson's company
for several years without drawing salary, and
solely because he had faith in the educational
power OF Shakespeare. Released from this en-
Eagement. he secured control OF the old Adelphi
Theatre. where melOdrama and musical comedy
bad alike ianguished. and the cooperation Of
large number Of actors trained In Mr.. Benson's
school. His success IA pOpulaTizing Tanning Of
the shEeU' for an unprecedented run has encour-