The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-12-09
PACIFY IRELAND

Continued on Page Twol
States prevented English writers from
saying how dissatisfied the British
people have been with the politicians
who have managed our share IN the
war since 1914.
Lloyd-George was the only mem
Der of the government with the cour-
age to exhibit discomfort over our
feeble and vacillating conduct of the
war Occasionally in parliament ana
on the platform he attempted to tell
the people 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 We're endeavor-
ing to cover up their plumbers when
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 with the
end of last week he found the state
Of torpidity and self-satisfa of his
colleagues-in the face of his repeated
setback@impossib to man of his
vision and patriotism. OF those col
leagues, writing as I am an article
dred American and Canadian newspa-
pers, 1 prefer only to say that they
were men who would not believe the
war was coming when it did, and who
had not an idea of it's tremendous pOr-
tent for our race.
In my own newspapers at home.
have spoken much more plainly-so
plainly. indeed, that I find myself oc-
casiona1ly the best abused man in the
country.
without Personal Ambition.
When last week Lloyd George de-
cided to smash the party machine
wherein he was entangled, he took his
courage in both hands. l do not be-
lieve he had any personal ambitions
in the matter at all.
Events made him prime minister
position at most as powerful as that of
your president. But his desire was
that this distinction should be con-
hours, it looked as tho it would be the
Scotchman, Bonar Law, rather than
the Welshman, Lloyd-Gecrge.
He went out into the wilderness
alone, so far as his own party was
concerned He had as a supporter,
posed him on practically every phase
of politics and outside helper in
Carson. whose Irish policy was dia-
metrically opposite
1nOSe three, with LOrd DERBY. nave
produced a miracle, whereof all the
world is talking. In a few days they
have formed a government-marred
it is true, by inclusion of some notable
former factors. but enriched by the
brains of business men and new poll
ticians.
The greater part of the work was
done by Lloyd himself He is
constantly referred to here as 1.-The lit
tie Welshman' but he is not at all lit
tie. You probably have his portrait
before you. His head is not that of a
little man, mentally or physically. 1t
is the head of n man in which the
sparkle of genius is combined with
Celtic energy and intense industry.
During the greater part of the week
he has been 1T the war office until
in the morning, returning to the diff
ficult task of trying to make a COM
posite national government six hours
later.
Nearly Unified Ireland.
do not often see him. but I did
lust before he made his decision and
he then appeared tired look.ng-older
hours of his telling Asquith he could
no longer remain in his company, he
looked ten years younger.
I have seen him at two other crises
of the war-first when he got the
shells which the government and the
army had forgotten to provide, Sec
ond. when he nearly-oh, so nearly
accomplished the unification of Ire
land.
On each of these occasions, as dur
ing the past week, the man revealed
himself a human dynamo. Every
energy is focused on the immediate
task at hand. He combines the per-
suasiveness of the Irishman with the
concentration of the American and the
thoroness of the Englishman.
critf he i11r
at his task That I do not believe
He gives every ounce of his attention
to achievement of the particular OBJ
ject in hand-then passes on to the
next important effort.
Some of his habits of concentration
are a little trying to his co-workers.
When involved in a scheme, he is a
bad keeper of appointments and an
impossible correspondent. He does
not seem to have set hours for his
meals. During the past week his diet
seemed to consist principally of cigars
fast usually, additions to this meal
overwinding one OF another.
With the difficult but necessary hui
man units in a proposition with which
he is dealing, he has the usual gift of
genius-that of getting other people
to do things. Often they are the right
people-but not always.
Few HAS Beens" in Cabinet.
Making a government I suppose. is
the same the world over. but making a
real war government, such as we are
making. is not quite as easy a task as
handing out places to hungry politi-
clans in peace times.
Lloyd-George tried to the best of