The Washington herald., 1916-12-25
Why Can't You Do It?
BY ORIsoN SWEET MARDEN,

1tAAAAASs$Ag NefAo ASASyN oSSse~t
like romance. His parents were
poor. His father, Welsh school
master, died before the boy was two
years old, and his widowed mother
then took her family to live with her
brother, humble cobbler.
There seems to be a. tradition in
England that cobbler knows more
politics than. most men in parlia-
ment, because his trade becomes so
automatic that he can work and car
ry on conversation at the same time.
When Lloyd George was youth a
cobbler shop was the political head
quarters for certain class Of men.
His uncle, Richard Lloyd, was a ru-
raj Gamaliel, and his shop was a po-
litical storm center, sort of politi-
cal forum; and there Lloyd George
got his first schooling in politics.
The Little Welshman," as the new
premier Is often called, was a born
revolutionist. AS a boy he was al
ways rebelling against the estab-
lished order of things, established
institutions, and especially the Es-
tablished Church. He early became
a leader among his boy friends and
his classmates. His uncle was so
impressed with his ability that he
helped him 70 am apprenticeship
with a solicitor; and so apt was
the youth in grasping the principles
of law that at twenty-one he began
to practice his profession in Giro
ieth, Wales.
Long before he was admitted to
the bar he visited the House of Com
mons, and made up his mind that
that was to be his future domain.
Then and there he resolved to go to
Parliament. In the meantime he
made quite a reputation preaching
the doctrine of a free religion, of a
free people in free land; and in his
first legal conflict with the Estab-
ished Church he won such a sue
cess that at the age of twenty-seven
he was elected to Parliament
He Ionce made a terrific attack
upon Joseph Chamberlain, who was
then looked upon as a corsummate
master in parliamentary procedure,
AMI in state craft generally. He was
laughed at, ridiculed and criticized
severely for this onslaught on a man
who at the time was Englsnd's idol.
but Mr.. Chamberlain finally went
down under his FIRE.
Lloyd George is today the great
est power in Parliament since Glad
stone, and his power is due largely to
his courage to do right, to dare to
take his stand on what he considers
right, regardless of the powers that
oppose him. He has ever been a
great believer in the ultimate tri-
umph of right. The English people
have come to believe that Lloyd
George is the soul of England incar-
nate, that he is man of vision, a
man who sees far beyond the ken of
most of his compeers.
The climb of this poor schoolmas-
ter's son, without lineage, without
fortune, without pull or influence Of
any kind to place next to the King
of England ought to be wonderful
stimulus and encouragement to poor
boys in every democratic country.
Who breaks his births invidious bar,
And grasps the skirt of happy
chance,
And breasts the blows of circum-
stance,
And grapples with his evil star:
Who makes bv force his merit
known,
And lives to clutch the golden
keys.
To mould mighty states DEGREES,
And shape the whisper of thrones
Who but determined souls like
Lloyd George, who spurn obstacles
and never falter until they reach
their goal.
What are stumbling blocks to the
weak, the strong man uses as step
ping stones on which he climbs to
the heights.
If you would get up in the world,
my friend, you must be willing to
take anything that comes your way
poverty, obstacles, opposition, in
suits, criticism, abuse, denunciation,
calumny. Work them all up into
paint for your life masterpiece.
There is good success material in
them if you know how to use it. This
was what David Lloyd George did.
Why can't you do it?