New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-05

mented by French, that it required visit
of Joffre 20 London to persuade the Brit
ish government TO reconsider its purpose
TO abandon martyred Serbia and retire
from the Near East.
To-day il is British journals that tell US
that the failure in Greece. the new blum
dering that seems 10 explain the enforced
quiescence of Sarrail's army, so fatal to
Rumania, is due to the refusal of Nlscount
Grey TO consent 10 the adoption of policy
in the matter of Constantine which would
end an intolerable situation in the only
way in which il can be abolished, namely
in the removal of Constantine.
Asquith, Grey, Churchill-their failures
seem to the American onlooker beyond
cavil. If Churchills service in the first
DAYS Of the war and in the last days Of the
crisis were considerable, his blunder at
Antwerp (Which enabled the Germans to
reach the Belgian coast, TO hold much Of
Northern France and nearly resulted IN
the destruction Of the Belgian army and
his folly in the matter Of Gallipoli, which
is still having terrible consequences. would
seem to square the account Yet Asquth
and Grey, with failures not less astound-
ing. have survived and only Churchill
went, after long delay.
Americans cannot understand the Coali-
ton Ministry. To US it seems that when
the Liberal Labor-Irish Ministry that be-
gan the war was lettering TO deserved
fall it was able, by some miracle, TO per
suade its opponents to surrender their
assets and share its liabilities, to take over
a share of the responsibility with very
little of the power and thus leave Britain
without an Opposition and without a po-
litical remedy. The result has been what
one would expect; it has been left to the
press and the people to create a new Oppo-
sition, which in the parliamentary world
the coalition destroyed
We see the British people becoming i'm
patient at the failure of their political
leaders. 1t is difficult, if not impossible, at
this distance TO decide how much Of this
inrpatience is real, how much manufact-
ured Yet the failures are real; we see
them, and they seem to US, in fact, not the
failure of the British people, but the fail
ure of the elected representatives Of the
British people to keep pace with their
electors. The people will TO win the war;
they are making every effort and every
sacrifice TO win the war; they are doing
what their German foes asserted they
never would do, and, so it seems to Ameri-
cans, they find their best efforts partially
spoiled by the conduct of their men in
high places.
In all this weller the figure of Lloyd
George stands alone. He has many quail
ties which appeal to us as Americans. He
represents the people in our own demo-
cratic sense; he understands the people
with something of the same fair that
BRAND reveals. He could carry any Of
our districts by the manner and methods
which have made him the first politician
of Great Britain. We feel Of Asquith that
he has been unable to learn and Of Grey
that ne has been unable TO forget; we per
ceive that Lloyd George has learned much
and forgotten more, notably in the matter
of conscription. He has been publicly
right almost as often as his associates
have been publicly wrong.
1t is unmistakable that the succession
of LLOYD George to Mr.. Asquith would be
hailed in this country and among many
of the best friends Of the Allies as step
forward. Yet the English criticisms Of
Lloyd George have reached this country.
We understand some of those criticisms to
mean that Lloyd George is a politician
before all else, and that he has an unri-
vailed record in the improvisation Of life
long convictions. The Englishman of one
class has told US that Lloyd George lacks
character; but in explaining the mean
ing of this he has demonstrated that he
does not mean by character anything like
what we Americans mean-possibly he
means no more than that Lloyd George is
q Welshman.
to mean one thing before all else. The
British people are determined to win the
war, but are far from convinced that the
war can be won while the present crew
mans the British ship The question Of
the army has passed out of the debate.
1t is agreed by all that Robertson is ''the
man The question of the navy is less
plain. Jelicoe has gone TO the Admiralty
and Beatty has succeeded to the Grand
Fleet. But what of Balfour? His name,
it would seem, has also become a little
wearisome TO Britons, who could forgive
his calmness were it displayed in the pres
ence of accomplished success rather than
in the presence Of growing submarine
peril.
If you talk with the people Of England,
as our political reporter feels the pulse Of
- ooto.o e+o4o va, eyat q curiouc sense Of