The Detroit times., 1910-12-12
ONCE BLACKSMITH,
NOW GREAT LEADER
David Lloyd-George Is Peoples
Champion in Battle Against
British Peers
BY HARRY G. FARMER.

LONDON, Dec. 12-Why are the
people of England ready to go TO the
extent OF abolishing the house of
lords in all but name merely to per
init the liberal party in the house OF
commons to enact its legislative pro-
gram?
In the past, the people of England
have been proud of their nobility.
] This has been drilled into them for
centuries. Why, then, have they sud
denly conceived the idea that they
have rights anything like equal to
| the rights of their betters? Something
| astonishing must have happened 10
bI eed such heresy in their minds.
Something astonishing has happen
| ed. A little man with a massive brain
with dynamic personality, with Abra
ham Lincolns love OF humanity
plain, homely, grizZled Welshman
from u blacksmith shop-has broken
| into the house of commons. has dom
ineered his way into the cabinet, has
stood up before the people OF Eng
land and cried aloud the grinding
| misery under which they have been
| living, without moral or mental com
prehension. That man is David Lloyd
George, the chancellor of the eX-
chequer.
Has Awakened Public.
Lloyd-George, alone, however,
could not have reused the insurgency
which is today sweeping England.
The things Lloyd-George had the
courage TO set forth-in terms that
every Englishman knows are true
arc the influences which have awak-
ened the public conscience and stir
red the people to revolt. These are
some of them
Twelve million people, nearly one
third of the population of England,
are hungry today.
Half of the land of England is own
ed by 1000 people, in which class is
included the members OF the house
of lords.
More than half OF the land of the
British Isles is owned by 5000 peo
pie.
Four million acres of agricultural
land in England has been converted
into game preserves by the aristoc
racy within the last six years.
Ninety-nine and two-tenths per
cent of the farmers of England rent
the land they till from the aristoc
racy.
Seventyseven per cent of the peo-
pie Of England live in cities.
Sixty years ago the number of peo-
pie in England was 26S00,000, and
the country produced food for "a :
100000 of them. Today the number
OF people in England is 42,0000 900,
and the country produces food for
only 100000 of them.
The liquor traffic of England is
practically unrestricted. and the aver
age annual consumption of wines,
spirits and beer is 3l.6 gallons,
against 142 for the United States.
Until the Lloyd-George budget was
adopted, last spring, there was no tax
on land in England.
Three million adult male citizens
OF England are prohibited from vot-
ing by tn eproperty qualifications Of
the election laws.
Property owners vote in every poll
tical division where they own proper
~, and elections are spread over Il
period long enough to give the land
owners time to go from place to
place and cast their ballots.
Would Clog Wheels of Progress.
The conservative party of England.
which controls the house of lords al
most unanimously and which has
nearly half the house OF commons
through the unionsts, represents
three principal property interests
the land owners, the government
church, and the liquor interests This
triumvirate stands solidly against the
control OF government by the masses,
against remedial legislation so essen
tial to English humanity II fought
the liberals as a unit in the election
on the Lloyd-George budget and has
been fighting them as a unit on the
veto bill.
These interests want to continue
their control OF government that they
may continue TO enrich themselves
ut the expense OF human progress.
They are willing that one-third of
England shall be hungry and cold in
order that the land owners may keep
right on collecting their high rents
that the church may keep right on
dominating the education of the
youth with denominational creed,
and that the liquor manufacturers
and dealers may keep right on col
lecting their enormous revenues by
the debauchery of the people.
Fundamentally, the struggle i'm
England today is struggle between
hunger and entrenched privilege.
And the returns from the elections
now clOGiup Indicate that hunpar ba =