Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-08
BRITISH POLITICS
y IN QUEER MIX-UP
Asquith Party Not Pacifistic.
Northcliffe's Power EXag-
gerated
BY GILBERT VIVIAN SELDES

|
L narily upset and ie.cstablished in the last
ten days. and although tho great "crisiS' is
past some aspects of it are sufficiently per-
nanent TO merit attention from Americans.
Because one thing Is clear, tho political
situation in Britain and in France can have
a far more direct influence OH tho progress
| of the war than tho political uituation in
Germany or tho United states can possibly
| have.
The reasons are not far 10 seek. Germany
| Is bureaucracy and the United States does
not accept the principle of cabinet RESPONSE
| bility. Britain and France both do. And II
ought to lie obvious now that the change6 in
France are dictated in part by consideta'
tons OF military policy, as well as by con-
siderations of diplomacy or economic ailairs'
and tho sinister story has been working its
way around England that a quarrel between
politicians and military leaders was irln
nent.
Tho features of the British situation
we're ~ Lloyd Georges Paris speech, 60 his
almost complete reversal Of that speech in
the House, ,3J Lord Northcffes letter TO the
Prime Minister and ~ Sir Inward Catsons
bitter attack upon Lord Northclife Politi.
cally this last point Is of tho highest i'm
portancc; tho more popular OF Lord North
clines morning papers. the Daily Mail, re.
ferred to it as Just criticism of Lord North
cline.'
The emphasis given to tho head Of tho
British Mission ought not TO rislead any one
into the belief that Lord Northcliffo can run
the British Government or dictate who its
next head shall be- he certainly can do
re
which he has not yet mastered. The i'm.
portanco Of his papers Is that they do re.
feet, TO astonishing degree. varying moods
Of public temper. and when those moods are
such a. his papers care to encourage. they
can be accentuated and innamed 10 the point
uf action
Now. what lS the political record Of the
Northclifto press in November? The first
reference to the Paris speech tore It 90
pieces" ~ an Indictment, while saying a few
nice things about the main idea Of Allied con-
troll. On the next day, when tho Liberal and
the ultra-ConservatvC presses had both at
tackled Mr.. Lloyd George, the Timess crit-
cisn was much mlder, although not defend
ing tho language of the speech IN any way.
shortly after came tho most astonishing
article by the military correspondent, pre-
sumably Colonel ReplnGton, who analyGed
every military statement the Paris speech
and either turned tho dagger into the speaker
himself or showed that 10 British power
could have stayed the misfortunea which tho
Prime Minister deplored.
Lloyds Georges Breakdown
From this column article those who knew
decided that Northclffe had come out against
Lloyd George, and wondered whether the
next Prime Minister was to he the noble
Lord himself. Sir Eric Cieddes or some great
unknown. In quick succession came me
Northciffe letter. comparatively kind to the
Premier but cruel 10 his associates and the
defense of the Paris speech. The Daily
Mail, scouting all critics of Lloyd George
declared itself notably pleased by his de-
tense Only the Liberal papers noted that the
Prime Minister virtually retracted every word
Of criticism and complaint; he was even
buoyantly optimistic.
The situation is frankly a complicated one,
and it is not made easier by the new Ulster
rebellion of Sir Edward Carson. whom Lord
Northcliffe once seemed to consider Tho
Man" II Sir Edward is part of the dead
wood in the war cabinet TO which Northcliffe
had reference the war cabinet, at least, has
not shown any signs of accepting the i'm
peachment. \ more likely solution is this:
that the cabinet has taken the offensive
against its critic and has got its blow in
first.
NIcmentarily there is peace, but the peace
rests on no sure foundation. Absolutely moth
ing but the patriotism and the sound sense
of Mr. Asauith prevented critical struggle
from developing this week; lie was accused
of engineering crisis but what he actually
did was to prevent one. do not say that
he could have overthrown Lloyd George.
but it is certain that in the temper of the
House at the time lie could have goaded
Lloyd George into oyerthrowinS himself. lie
did nothing of the sort
His enemies say that he fears a general
election; for that can always be Lloyd
Georges threat But the idea that Lcyd
George will 60 to the country on a platform
chiefly based on criticism Of the army and
navy leaders Is preposterous. Mr.. Lloyd
George is not so popular as all that; AMI
cricket is still an English game.
If either Of two things happens, Il great
many lies are going tc be told in America.
and / should like to tell a few corrective
things in advance If an election is forced
here or If new ministry, with Liberal ten
dencies Is formed. the cry will be set up
that Asquith and the old gang are pacihsts
and do not want to win the war and that
every one who is against the combination OF
Curzon, Carson and Miner plus Lloyd
George, is pro-German That is damnaby
dangerous nonsense, which will tend 20
weaken our faith in cur allies IL we believe
it, There is no "defestsm" among the honest
Liberals, such as Asquith, Nlscount Grey,
Lord Lansdowne, Sir John simon and many
others. And to take Mr. Lloyd Georges own
word for H. they did not run the war any
worse than the present Government Is run
ming it, The fact that they are far more
interested in a just and democratic peace
than, say, Lords Miner and Curzon Is really
the only thing against them.
Both Sides for War
Tho least polite thing for Americans to
do is to interfere in any way in British
politics we are being riddled from both
I sides now, and the less we say the better
Lord Northcliffe tells the British public that
we are going to take their war away from
them. and resentment against us grows per-
ceptibly sharper. Others still say that we
aren't doing our share and that We are only
waiting to spring sorne foolish sort Of IDEAL
istic settlement on Germany. From week to
week about ten true words a day appea ,
in the British press about us and they are
mostly otatistics.