New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-28

( "cOulOTu GreeN.
lou have got 10 free the land-to
froe the land that is to this very hour
shackied with the chains Of feudal-
ism"
That is but Pathological way Of
putting things. He might just as we'll
nave said the land was chained with
Ihe shackies OF feudalsrl-much as
people talk Of their grateful thanks"
ould they say thankful gratitudc?'
But Mr.. Lloyd George knows that ali
audience of 1900 people in a field
want broad effects and he gives them
broad effects. When the Prime Min
lister was asked In the House Of Com
mons whether 1t was his view also
that lat this very hour the land is
shackled with the chains Of feudalism,"
he answered.
That seems to me to be a pictu
rescue and not inaccurate description"
The Prime Minister'S business, OF
course. is not TO criticise little slips in
a colleagues English. 1t is true also
that, thus far, only generalities have
been dealt in; whether by the Prime
Minister or by the Chancellor Of the
EXchequer. Neither of them says he
Labor member, asks:
May we take it that the statement
that the government are pledged to the
single tax is quite untrue?"
And the Prime Minister responds in
his most correct Parliamentary man
ner:
Certainly it is quite untrue. There
is no pledge"
A Minister, and especially a Prime
Minister. questioned on the Front
/ Bench is like q witness cross-exannined
on the stand If he is wise-and Mr..
| Asquith is very wise-he confines his
answer strictly to the terms of the
! question.
He is questioned again by Sir r.
! Baker:
why are by-elections being fought
! on this issue ii II is not the policy OF
! the government"
! And answers: That does not rest
with me-"
With whom II does rest he omits 10
! say But will tell you what IS said
/ in the Hobbies Of the House and at Par
| liamentary dinner tables. The present
issue involves and 10 great extent
arises out Of, first the personal and
political relations between Mr.. Asquith
and Mr.. Lloyd George; second the diff
! fculties In which Mr.. Georges Insur-
ance Act has involved the Government.
| + make no comment, no criticism.
simply repeat what you may hear said
, world
Time was, and no very long time
| ago when Mr.. Lloyd George was sup
| posed TO be master in the Cabinet. Mr.
Asquith is essentially q Liberal. Mr.
! Lloyd George Is essentially a Radical
/ The Liberal party had been 80 far Rad
| icalized that the great majority of the
! party did, two years ago. look 10 the
! Chancellor Of the IIxchequer and pot
10 the Prime Minister for guidance and
even Tor leadership in The House. The
Budget Of 1900 marked the beginning,
or perhaps only the widening, Of the
rift. Mr. Asquith had been Chancellor
, Of the EXChequer in the Campbell
Bannerman Government; and was cred
| tied in the City with sound ideas OF
finance. He was on good terms with
| the great financial houses and with the
| Treasury, Of which he was, as Mr..
George now IT, the real head. What
ever Mr.. Asquith might be politically.
ne was reckoned financially q Conser-
vative. He was not supposed TO look
with favor on his successors expert.
ments in financial legislation; or on
some Of his other experiments.
There came moment when, on one
subject or another. the difference be-
tween the Prime Minister and his adj
venturous colleague grew acute. Nj.
, Asquith was said 10 have reminded Mr..
Lloyd George that after all, he, Mr..
Asquith, was Prime Minister. The
holder of that Office holds, normally,
all his colleagues at his mercy. He ap-
points whom he sees IL and dismisses
whom he sees 1T. What he actually
said TO Mr.. Lloyd George Is not known,
.or known only in confidence, but Mr..
George replied
IF you mean that you wish FOR my
resignation it IS at your disposal l
Will go whenever you like but If go
shall take with me two hundred mem
bers of your party"
1t is possible he could have done that,
then: though the number seems large,
But If he could have taken even one
hundred IL would have wrecked the
Ministry, and as the Ministry had no
desire to be wrecked. a compromise was
arranged Since then. the power and
prestige Of Mr. Lloyd George have de-
clined. No such scene could now
occur. Mr.. Asquith is stronger and
Mr.. Lloyd George is weaker; and Of Mr..
Georges former prestige no small share
has passed to Mr.. Winston Churchill.
But, secondly, Mr. George is the au-
thor OF the Insurance Act, and II the
Budget Of 1909 was popular the Insur-
ance Act is perhaps the most unpopular
that has lately been placed on the
Statute Book. Most of the defeats In
the many recent by-elections are traced