Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-09
He Started in Politics in His
Teens, Fixed the Goal of His
Ambition and ReIentIeSSIy
Drove Toward 1t

NEW YORK, Jan. 6.-Lloyd-George,
Great Britain's new Welsl. prime min
lister, is no accident! He arrived" not
by chance, but because he set his cour-
age and kept gong!
There's an inkling of his purpose in
the following significant passage from
Lloyd Georges diary, written on the oc-
casion of his first visit to London, in
1881. when he was seventeen:
Went to houses of parliament; very
much disappointed with them. Grand
buildings outside, but inside they are
grabbed, small and suffOcating, espe-
cially the house of commons. l will
not say but that l viewed the assembly
in a spirit similar to that in which Will
liam the Conqueror eyed England on
his visit to Edward the Confessor, as
the region of his future domain. Oh,
Vanityg'
DIARY is REPRINTED.
Lloyd Georges diary is reprinted,
with its paragraphs of the most reveal
ing candor, in a four-volume Life Of
Lloyd George" edited by one Herbert
du Parcq. William George, the pre-
mier's brother, is responsible for these
passages from the diary.
Even in his younger days, Georges
ambitions were target for the sallies
of his contemporaries. An early pass
=
of which he was the subject
when first the college rolls receive
his name,
The young enthusiast quits his ease for
fame,
Resistless burns the fever for renown,
Caught from the swift contagion of the
town."
EARLY IN POLITICS.
In 1886, at the age Of twenty-five,
George was making political speeches so
noticeable he attracted a following
which sent him to parliament two years
later. He had been the hoy alderman"
of Carnarvon; he became the boy NJ. P"
He entered the house April Il, 1890,
and received an enthusiastic reception.
In a letter recording. his first division he
wrote, my first division last night, I
voted against bi-metallism. but 1
couldn't tell why" A week after his
entrance to the house, he was asking his
first question" May 16 he wrote to his
uncle:
ct shan't speak in the house this side
Whitsluntide holidays. Better not APP
pear too eager. Get a good opportunity
and make the best of it-thats the point.
Let the cry against compensation in
crease in force and intensity; then is
the time TO speak L can do better my
self then-the steam is hardly up yet"
HIS MAIDEN SPEECH.
The maiden speech" so a member
who sat beside Gladstone told George,
delighted 1.-THE old man exceedingly" 1t
was against an alteration in the license
laws.
ct have just spoken for the first time
in the house." wrote the young common
er in a letter home, ''and if 1 am to
judge by the cheers got during the pro-
greSs of my speech and Immediately aft
er I sat down, and also the congratula-
tons 1 received, / must have succeeded
beyond my very highest expectations. T.
w. Russell got up Immediately after me
and congratulated me upon my maiden
speech with which l had charmed the
house The lhouse cheered again at this.
There was a very good audience and al
though at first they appeared to be in
different, as they generally are when
insignificant members speak. they soon
both sides-listened intently."
FAMOUS SMILE.
This maiden speech" was memorable
for a simile in which George likened
Chamberlain and Winston Churchill to
political contorticnists, who can per-
form the great trick of planting their
feet in one direction and setting their
face in another"
what do you think" he wrote to one
of his family. in Welsh, of my simiie
of the political contortionists'? I heard
last night in the lobby that Sir William
Harcourt has been praising my speech,
and thinks very highly of it. 1t has al
ready made a great difference in the
reception l get among the members Of
no