The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-20
NOTED TEUT0N|C PUbL|CIST LAUDS
 BRITISH PREMIER
"Greatest British States man Since Chamberlain,
 Says Bernhard.

That David Lloyd George has lost none of his original enthusiasm for social reform through being placed at the head of the British cabinet and vested with almost dictatorial power, and that he will fight for the under dog'' as hard as ever aft CT the war is over, is the opinion of George Bernhard, the noted German publicist, as expressed in a character sketch of the British premier printed in a recent issue of the Vossiche Zel- tung The London press quotes freely from Herr Bernhard's article and points out that the author of the sketch is one of the leading journal ists of Germany and is supposed to be in close touch with the kaiser and the governmental machine.
 we must be careful" says Herr Bernhard, mot to look at events and personalities through the spectacles of our own wishes. The man who has just taken the reins of govern ment in Great Britain is the greatest British statesman since Chamberlain.
 ssHe is said to be ambitious, ag- gressive, hungry for power. But when has there ever been a born politician who did not count among the peculiarities of his character am- bition, responsiveness, and lust for power? Is it a fault? It all depends upon whether the politician aims solely at the qualification of his own selfish ambition and hunger for pow CT, or whether he also serves his fatherland; whether, in short, he is a demagogue or a statesman And Lloyd George is a statesman. More over, he is a statesman with ideals, and these he has pursued un'swerv- ingly, despite apparent inconisisten- cies."
 The continuous thread in Lloyd Georges career, says Bernhard, is his sympathy for "the under dog" As a boy and in early manhood he knew what need and poverty meant. .sLloyd Georges dream has been to fight misery out of land that gilt ters with wealth. And to this dream he has. remained true as an agitator, a member of parliament and min ister. He has. as a liberal, fought for his social policy with liberal methods. He carried through his famous budget. which bore most heavily on incomes, property and successions, and he made an honest 0IlOII u SIlOW IlldI ILhSIc1Ao l1cI llIO means to deal with social evils leven without protective duties. Hence he was denounced and reviled by the city and the conservatives as no nl1n- ister ever was before."
 The war has come, and though perhaps it may make a difference in his methods, I it will not affect his aim, says the writer, who continues: ''The war has enhanced and strengthened the power of this pre- eminent organizer who in twinkling has organized the production of nlu- nitions in the state, as previously he studied, almost overnight, the taxa tion systems of all countries. - *. MT. Lloyd. George has not accepted the support of the labor party on
 merely sentimental grounds. Eng fish workingmen know that in his soul there still glows as briskly as ever burning desire to alleviate all the misery and poverty which once
 obscured his childhood days. Lloyd George will continue to remain the social reform minister. And he will, 1 if liberal methods fail, have resort to conservative methods"
 Herr Bernhard thinks that "Lloyd
 George, now, as always, has luck on his side.'' It is lucky that Eng land, after the war. will have to go over to protective tariffs" During the war state control of industry has been found necessary. Later on he 1 will be unable to oppose state mono polies, and with a smile of satisfac- | ton he will use the funds, derived therefrom for his social policy. Aft r CT the war English Liberalism, like Liberalism in nearly every other country, will become social and im- perialist in the widest sensa-or it | will cease to be. And it will depend upon English liberalism and not upon Lloyd George whether in the future l this statesman who has to-day form
 ed his cabinet with conservatives will belong to conservative or liberal l politics in England"
 i Herr Bernhard, far from thinking
 that the British prime minister is a l ruthless jingo and ''bitter-ender,' l finds comfort in Lloyd Georges very
 strength and prestige, and says:
 "Once his fatherland had entered l into the struggle he held it his duty
 to maintain the national morale and to devote all the energy he possesses l to rendering service to his country. ! He may or may note believe in vio- tory. But he knows that 1n the ina
 outcome he who shows himself
 strong will reap the greatest advant
 age. Therefore, he talks cstentatious l ly of his firmness and confidence ir victory, and is the support of those
 who in the hour of danger need to
 be comforted by others. Perhaps he l will push on the war to the extreme end. Perhaps--strange as this may
 sound to-day-he is already a friend
 of peace. In any case peace can be
 brought about for all countries only 1 by that kind of statesman in whose
 strength his own countrymen who are 1 fighting have confidence. The weak
 ling might bring back to his people
 the very best peace that could be l got; yet he would always be in danger
 of being suspected of having failed
 to obtain what might have been ob- ] tained. But he in whose strength people have faith will alone be in a
 position to make quite considerable
 concessions. His fellow countrymen
 who believe that, however much or
 little he gets, no man could have got
 more"
 1 SHR0VE T(JESDAY