Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-12-11
By Ed L Keen

London, Dec. 1.-THE energizing
force of Lloyd-George s magic touch
has nls.S within hin, five days electrified the
While the new war dictator was to-
day forced to his bed with chill
brought on by a fortnight of 20 hour
working days, London was in fever Of
enthusiasm Ior the new order. That
the most eursed-and most respected
figure in the last half century of Brit
ish politics is to have the full force of
the British nation behind him in what
ever he does became evident today
Not only the press of the nation, but
the faces of every man, woman and
street urchin reflected the fact
The seemingly impossible has been ac-
Icomplished. 1he hard shell of British
conservatism has been cracked. Vener-
alton for precedent and the thing which
"is done" has gone into the discard.
For the first time since August /, 1914,
John Bull is looking forward, not
stumbling along with his glance back
over his shoulder
Triumph Of Democracy
| While the German press is referring
with contempt to the new British "dic-
tator," Engishmen,. even staunch con
servatives of the Northcliffe type, are
lvisuah2ing the new. development as
democracy's greatest triumph of the
century.
Moreover, it is apparent that Lloyd
George is no. mans man, but his own
Charges of newspapers antagonistic to
the Welshman that he was mere tool
of Lord Northcliffe have been effectu.
ally dissipated by LIoydGeorge s
lchoice of two men in his ministry who
have been particularly under the fire
of the Northcliffe misrepresentation
j. Balfour and Lord Robert Cecil.
In the rise of Lloyd George to the
supreme command, the British people
see free people s answer to the claim,
repeatedly made since August |, that
in crisis their democracy with its seat
tered control and its divided authority
cannot cope with the efficiency and
the force of centralized power possible
under an autocracy of the German type.
! France went a long way toward de-
veloping the German argument so far
las it concerned the military, when she
produced Joffre. The British believe
they have clinched the argument (even
though it required % months) by pro
Icess of elimination which has finally
lplaced in the hands Of the man who has
had the confidence of an overwhelming
majority the supreme power to mobil-
ize and direct the entire strength of
the British empire.
Just pep" and Ginger
1t is the British idea that democracy
has answered autocrady by showing
THAT it does not fear centralized power
but has gone step further by select
ing its own administration of that pow
Ter.
The new order contains six striking
characteristics that the old order lack
ed-initiative, innovation, expedition
nationalism, concentration and cOur
age.
! Apparently Lloyd-George first de
termination was that the administra
ltion to be successful must institute an
entirely new system in the conduct OF
the war and in cabinet procedure-re-
gardless of precedents and traditions.
The rapidity with which he not only
corralled the support of the labor party
and made up the personnel of the cab
inet, but actually got his new wal
eouneil working before the members
were sworn in, demonstrates not only
1.-THE "ginger' of the man who is now
England s prime minister, but his ap-
lpreriation of the vital urgency of the
situation Britain now faces.
4 Embodies All Elements
The new government embodies in an
unprecedented degree all England Is ma
4 "a tl.i,y