The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-12-09
AMAZING SITUATION
rs CHANGING
lContinued from page II

share in the war since 1914.
Lloyd-George was the only member
of the government with the courage
to exhibit discomfort over our feeble
and vacillating conduct of the war.
Occasionally in parliament and on the
platform he attempted to tell the >peo-
pie a little of the truth, but on these
occasions he was always howled down
by members of his party, and the
newspapers as unpatriotic and as Civ
ing comfort to the enemy. The rest
did their best to hide the truth.
The hide the truth tactics in com
mons, of smaller politicians were
shown at the time they were endeav-
oring to cover up their plumbers and
Sir Edward Carson left the govern
ment last year.
If Lloyd George had resigned with
him then, the war would have been
greatly advanced. He was prevailed
upon to remain. but evidently at the
end of last week he found the state
of torpidity and self-satisfaction OF
his coIleagues-in the face of his re-
peated setbacks-impossibl to a man
of his vision and patriotism. OF those
colleagues, writing as am, an ar
ticle which will appear in some 800
American and Canadian newspapers,
prefer only 70 say that they were
men who wouldn't believe the war
was coming when 1t did and who had
no idea OF its tremendous portend tor
our race.
In my own newspapers at home l
have spoken much more plainly, SO
plainly indeed, that find myself occa-
sionally the best abused man In the
country.
When last week Lloyd George de-
cided to smash the party machlne
wherein he was entangled. he took
his courage in both hands. / do not
believe he had any personal ampl-
lions. in the matter at all.
Events made him prime minister
a position almost as powerful as that
of your president, but his desire was
that this distinction be conferred on
another. Indeed for some hours II
looked as though 1t would De the
Scotsman, Bonar Law. rather tnah IAN
the Welshman Lloyd-George. he
went into the wilderness alone, SO
far as his own party was concerned.
He had as supporter bonar Law
who had previously opposed MIN on
practically every phase OF poltlcs'
and an outside helper, Carson whose
Irish policy was diametr1caily oppo-
site. Those three, with Lord DERBY,
have produced a miracle, OF which all
tho world is talking. In few days,
thew have formed a government
marred. II Is true, by inclusion OF
some notable form, but enriched by
brains of business men and new poll
ticians. The greater part OF the
work was done by LloydGeorge MIN
aelf He is constantly referred To
hero "a the little Welshman," but ne
| ia NOT at all little" You probably
have his portrait before you. His
head is not that of little man, men
taI1v or physically 1t is the head @
a man in which the sparkle OF genius
"a combined with celtic energy ane
intense industry.
Turing the greater part OF the '"eef
no has been at the war Iofhce unti
thr.a in the morning, retaining to the
| d;Sficult task Of trying to make
oo,nnosite national government SD
hours later. AZ,
do not often see him; but l dc
,rs, before he made his decision ant
ba then appeared tired looKlng-oia
or than his fifty-three years. Witnil
fe,y bours of his telling Asqu1th III
conId no longer remain in his com
oonw he looked ten years younger.
have seen him at two other crises o
the war-first when he-got the shelis
which the government and the arm;
nod forgotten TO provide; second
when he nearly-oh, so nearly-ac
coIonlished the unifcation Of Ireland
On each of these occasions, as dur
ing the past week. the man reveale'
himself a human dynamo: Every en-
Ierey is focused on the 1mmediat'
task al hand. He combines persua
lsiyeness OF the Irishman with the con
!cantration O. the American ana .h'
Ithoroughness of Engiishmen. Critics