The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-07
LLoyD.oEoRoE's NEW TASK

1hCIC uCCu DC Nv uOuDe 1880 Ni'
Lloyd George can now safely be
spared from the post Of minister Of
munitions to assume that Of 'secre-
tary for war. That his work has been
thoroughly organized at the NUM-
tions Office has been demonstrated
by the fact that at least one, great
American plant, built especially to
make shrapnel castings, is about to
be dismantled because there is no
more work for 1t to do. This can
only mean that the allied countries
are now confident Of their capacity
to produce what they need without
demanding the output Of this estab-
lishment.
A year ago 1t would have been
impossible to imagine a state Of
affairs, short Of peace, in which such
a plant could have been retired from
service. The probability is that the
European allies will continue buy
ing very extensively outside their
own countries; but that Japan will
more and more monopolize the trade.
Production is far cheaper there than
here, and the Nipponese empire has
been converted into a regular ma
chine shop as fast as plants could be
created.
Mr.. Lloyd George looks, at this
distance, like the one most efficient
statesman of his particular type
that the war has produced in any
country. He has not only handled
the problems of war production in
Great Britain, but he has been the
international leader in coordination
of the efforts Of all the allies. That
coordination and cooperation has
made it possible for Russia now to
be waging her whirlwind campaign
in the east. II has prepared the way
for the British drive in the west. It
has given the backing Of solid conf
dence to Joffre during all the months
of his bulldog resistance, at Verdun.
1t has raised the credit of the allied
cause in the estimate of the whole
world.
1t was easy enough for statesmen.
under pressure that menaced the
very lives Of their nations, to agree
in principle that they would pool
their issues, fight as one, make no
peace save as a unity, and exclude all
self-interest from their partnership.
But it was another and vastly more
complicated problem to convert the
industrial resources of their coun-
tries to munitions factories, to null
tiply capacities, to find materials, to
insure transportation, to protect
secrets, to keep the industries of
peace in such condition that despite
this special drain they should serve
all national needs,
This is the work Lloyd George has
done; the greatest performance in
international industrialism, If such a
phrase may be applied, that the
world has seen. -. -. .. .,,.
He goes to the war Office in sue
cession to Kitchener, with the great
est backing Of public confidence that
any statesman has won for himself
during this war, in any country. He
may be said to have been nominated
by the whole allied cause, by accla-
nation, for this post. He will take
there the marvellous initiative land
energy and sound judgment that
have marked his work in every pc.
sition.
This man has the faculty Of build.
ing himself up on the very antagon.
isms he creates. Respectable" Brit.
ain hated him for his fiscal meas,
ures, adopted long before the war
and then when war. came the whole
Responsibility" of Britain turned te
him as the one man with resources
of initiative and originality equal t.
the task before. chancellor of the
exchequer. Whatever he demanded
was promptly given. '.-"0 -,
| When that task was so ORGANIZED
that the well-oiled machine could b,
left safely, he was drafted to tn,
munitions Office; and there in incred
IDLY short time he has accomplished
his mission. His old friends. tn,
} labor unions, turned against him q
the start; but he forced their &C
J quiescence, as he had formerly VOL
, over the "respectables."
Probably he will have less diff
} Guilty at the war Office. He take
, charge in a time when there ar
materials in plenty with which t,
, work, thanks to his earlier activities
, The problem is largely one for tn
, strictly military men now. TIL
II "A