Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-23

- oNDoN. Jan. 3O-It was inevitable that Lloyd
| George should become premier of England The
IL wonder is that should had to wait through
thirty months of warfare before the memorable logic or
circumstances thrust the honor and the responsibility
upon him. Among all the British politicians he is the
outstanding striking, dramatic figure For time after
began Winston Churchill shared the public eye
with the dynamic little Welshman
Churchill has gone into eclipse. He is keeping
himself by writing articles for the magazines
and the Sunday newspapers. He has strong public
or party backing When he left the trenches France
and home to England he made mistake He
found welcome place for his activities in the
An abortive attempt made to restore
him popular favor but it fell fiat There was no call
for Winston. With this picturesque character obscured
Lloyd George left alone the figure in public
life intrigued popular fancy He is of the
most striking personalities in English public life, and
questions the sincerity of his patriotism
But he has the defects of his enthusiastic qualities
One biting these defects made when
ne first became minister Of munitions and set all the
working people by the in the course of what he
called plain talk" about the derections of trade
uniqnism A cynic who heard the speech declared, II
never believed what Lloyd George said about the rich
and 1 for believing what he Is
saying about the poor"
One of the indications Of a wholesome of mind
in Great Britain has been the freedom with which the
British press and people have criticised their
the very outbreak Of the The govern
ment has been allowed to conduct the
unquestioned. 1t has known from the beginning what
the country thought of it, Simply because he
engaged a the preservation the empire, the
British voter has never for an instant his
inherent right to grumble complain. When he has
felt strongly that there should a change in the
government a change has followed. Indeed,
a saying in Great Britain since August 1914
that the people managed country the
and that the government has only acted as their
mouthpece
The Liberal ministry, with Mr.. Asquith at its head
supplanted by coalition government in response
to popular demand The coalition government lasted
longer than people thought would. 1t finally
gave because it too big, too cumbersome too
slow, and stale conduct the energetically
the people thought it should be conducted. Mr.
Asquith tired He lacked punch" He delayed
making decisions He hestated grapple with
ties. Lloyd George, who at time and another has
found himself opposed by every British
electorate and in his party, the unanimous
choice Asquiths successor. He has reduced the
cabinet almost to nudity, and conducts the war
through council composed of himself, Lord
Curzon Lord Miner, Mr.. Bonar Law and Mr.. Arthur
Henderson He has been given full power with it
full responsibility with the to press the war
to a conclusion.
Englands politicians for the most part have been
her most conspicuous failures war They have
not contributed much to it's Indeed great
many people in England believe they have been
hindrance and a brake the army and navy. The
creation of coalition early days of
the war was nominally breaking down of party
and party government. In reality not But the
present Lloyd George ministry is a party govern
ment The premier has party backing-he has the
people OF England behind him. These by a lead
ing English pubcis accurately apprase the present
estimation in which Lloyd George held in England
'Hfr. Lloyd George has been often right about
the than any military civilian in Great
Britain His courageous openmindedness has kept
straight where others astray. realized from
the first the full magnitude of the struggle
dependent from it, He took in the days