Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-27

ego on INDUSTRIAL unreSt--watchcd II
through his regional commissioners
Ito summoned an Irish convention. Ho
anticipated tho reorganization OF ma
tional service. Tho Ministry OF Labor
was his Idea.
He was everywhere with energy,
foresight. But courage IN dealing with
his colleagues. Had he and has no
that sort OF courage?
Why did tho Ministry OF Labor con-
nict with national service? why did
and does the Foreign Office "play By
ITSELF?
What does the Foreign omce do for
propaganda In foreign parts? How
docs 1t combat the continually insidious
play Of German influences that under
mine the allied armies In Russia. In
italy and endeavor to undermine them
in France?
Apparently 1t spends large sum OF
money and ACCOMPLISHMENTS Little
or nothing, for we sec German
prompted disintegration in Russia and
German stimulated detection in italy.
Meanwhile. by way OF contrast, an as
tonish;nG work OF propaganda. under
Lord Beavcrbrook and Captain Lima,
has been achieved by the Canadian
army on an entirely self-supporting
basis! Here in Scotland we have seen
magnificent photographs. skillfully dis
played, Of the work of Canadians In
the war.
And similar displays, unequaled by
anything organized by our own au-
thorities that 1 have seen, have. 1 be-
lievc. been presented in tho great citiea
OF the United States and France and
other parts OF the world.
Our own achievements remain buried
for tho most part in departmental Sc
c!usion.
But the Foreign Office is not the
only department that continues to
view vast war dcpartmcntally and
TO think pa!ochially about the world
catastrophe. There are others. Why,
for instance. do food controllers and
food economy directors talk instead
OF acting?
We all know OF the Emergencies and
delays that have occurred.
What Is the cause OF them?
/ suggest that here We find the
Prime Minister'S weakness-hc seems
to be afraid of ruling; OF insisting; Of
making departments yield to HIS oon-
tinual ovcrprcssure. And also he seems
to feat failures.
Look at the war Cabinet II is com
posed OF Lloyd Gcorsc-good; support
ed from outside By Bonar Law. man OF
many sorrows. resolu:e and fearless.
There is Mr.. Barnes in the war
Cabinet. Also GOOD. But what can
one say Of others?
There is. of course, Lord Curzon. who
has made himself ridiculous. and II
possible. more unpopular then ever. by
snecring at the people in London for
covering" in the cellars they have
rot got. This and other OF Lord Cur
CONS unhappy expressions can only be
explained on the ground of the vanity
OF their author-not title to public
confidence.
HAS NO FOLLOWING
Or PARTY OF HIS OWN
The contemplation OF an appointment
OF this kind leads one TO suppose that
Lloyd George feels himself bound TO
group all shades of opinion together
by including party men irrespective of
their qualifications.
That Is. surely. false principle.
Lloyd Georges unrivalled position as
the ore man who can unity comes from
tho fact that. although he now repre-
gents all parties, he has no single or
special following OF his own. He must
then. call upon able men from every
following. not upon failures from
every coteric. Ability and SUCCESS are
tho tests for Eovcrnment-not pomp-
GUS scit-importancc. fear that the
Prime Minister is too loyal to incom-
petcnt colleagues.
IL he gets rid of them he will be
attacked by them. That is obvious,
Jus. as we have seen him attacked be-
cause he has cndsavored To stop failure
in the field by securing better CO.
ordination on all fronts.
This coordination I must emphasize.
is ardently desired by the French and
the Italian governments. And 1t is
desired, too. by the Washington Cabi-
net--on the admission Of the Amcri-
can correspondent of tho Morning Post
"a newspaper which has attacked the
Premier for his efforts TO secure unity
OF direction. AS this correspondent
AYERS. American opinion regards the
Allied War Council as necessity for
the successful prosecution of tho war.
IT has been said that he "intcrfercs."
That being precisely his business. it
seems hard 10 rcproach him for doing
It. but the charge OF interfering with
tho soldiers at least has no sound ap-
plicability here.
Who has appointed tho soldiers in
this war? Who appointed the generals
OF Gallipoh? Lord kitchener-a SOL
dier himself. Who intcrfered with
Lord Kitchener? Nobody. He was
omnpotcnt.
Who appointed and recalled soldiers
after Lord Kitchener? The army
council in London.
The military failures of this war
clearly have not been due to Civilian
interference" Need we then dread
civilian interference?
All across the alliance tho evidence
of Lloyd Georges rallyinE influence
is to BIO seen.
Tor America, better than any other
man, he represents our democracy. For
Russia also. For France, he is the man
who tells the truth. The French press
is loud in his paises.