New-York tribune., 1913-11-23

,.as fair 10 pass useIui anu oiaiie-
oS1 uto He began it with distinction
o.tord in Balliol College, which, of
" nueges at that ancient university,
% ~, Last of the ancient spirit and less
we, any other was the home OF lost
" and impossible loyalties. He
% the Bar and practised with
~oasrate success. He went into poll
and Parliament and there obtained
..rtain eminence, but not for long
90 ANYTHING like a commanding posi-
~, He married, being then a wild
.r.r with FIVE children, Miss Margot
-.ront That was perhaps the first |
>. =, his life which dazzled the world |
= ub,ch he lived. Miss Margot Ten
-, whom her friends and many who
..re not her friends called Margot, !
thonght to have made a marriage |
:, ,ombition. and of mistaken ambition. |
- rresently appeared that her own was |
~. true forecast. She has now been
,.ven wears the wife of the Prime Min
,,,sr and to the permanency of his |
,.,ure is believed to have contributed
much.
IN critical days, when some of Mr.. !
I,ouiths friends held that considera-
,,ons Of honor would compel him either
"a resign Office or at least TO put his
nostion TO hazard by an appeal to the
,aonle Mrs. Asquith said, or is be-
nsved 10 have said: I'VE cannot af- |
,ord TO 20 out" Is II then because
Mrs Asquith thought they could not
,nord 10 lose the First Lords salary !
n $4,000 a year that Mr.. Asquith has
snce trodden those devious ways along |
which lie strewn the wrecks of what |
might have been a noble renown? Is
Il for reasons of domestic finance that |
The Liberal has become Radical and |
the Radical Revolutionary? The pu-
oil Of Jowett, the friend Of Mr.. Bal
four, the colleague of Mr.. Gladstone,
II. lieutenant Of Lord Rosebery,-how
came he to be the telephone of Mr..
Lloyd George and the obedient SER
want Of Mr.. Redmond?
To answer that question would take
US far. You may hear various voices
In London, but 1 think 1t safe to say
that no single influence has brought
about that transformation, and GER
tainy not the one on which gossip fas-
tened when Mrs. Asquith made that
singular announcement. 1t cannot be |
omitted, If you examine into the state |
Of public opinion, but one need not do
more than mention it and pass on.
From the history of the growth of a
mans mind and the development Of his
political career no explaining cause can
be omitted. j once traced the history
Of the cabal which drove Mr.. Balfour
from the leadership Of the Unionist !
party to It's source in a woman's en-
nifty. II would be quite possible to find
the secret, or one of the secrets. of Mir.
AsQuith's amazing policies in the infiu-
ence Of his wife. Such an estimate
would not be complete, but 1t would be
enlightening. 1t would not be indis
! ereet since long before she became his
wife she had a celebrity Of her own in
society, and shrank from no publicity.
Her own friends and admirers think
her factor in her husbands public
life. What the true nature and effect
Of her influence has been must be
matter Of opinion.
But the change in Mr.. Asquith Is not |
matter of opinion. 1t is matter Of
iact OF course 1t was not immediate. |
II spreads over a considerable number
OF years; as did those changes which
earned for Mr.. Gladstone the title Of |
Inc greatest Opportunist Of his time. /
blame neither of them for changing. :.
political leader who is something |
more than an enthusiast must change |
as circumstances change. He cannot |
oe leader on any other terms. He |
cannot rouse men, whether individuals |
@nasses, 10 follow him on dead issues. |
Ine charge against both IS. not that
'hey changed, but that they changed |
wrongly There is a charge almost [
worse; essentially worse; that in each |
case and in each instance the change Of |
Pnciple conceded with the oppor
unity Of political advantage. Mr.. |
1aostone did not go over to Home |
hule till only the Irish vote in the |
mouse Of Commons could keep him in
omee Mr.. Asquith did not bring in |
us present Home Rule bill till, after
TWO general elections. he had clearly |
seen he could not maintain himself in |
once otherwise.
Nor can II be said that IL was the !
"'sh question only upon which he
snoerwent conversion. AS Chancel-
"f OF the Exchequer in Sir Henry |
campbell Bannerman's Government he |
was Conservative Minister OF FL
nance II not great financier he was
sound fnancier, and competent one.
"hen ne became Prime Minister he ap-
poh'ed Mr.. Lloyd George Chancellor
'. he Exchequer; we'll knowing that
~r' Lloyd George was neither sound
"or competent. and that his ideas and |
"e'nods Of finance departed widely
"Vni those he had himself advocated |
eHu practised; widely from those which
au 'ne sanction Of authority; widely
'O'n 'hose on which the Treasury has
en administered for generations; and