The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-22
NEW LEADER
FOR ENGLAND
British Voters and Politicians Search
ing for Man, Party and
Policy, All in
Harmony.
IBy United Press.l


effect been more marked than in
British politics. America and the rest
of the world would do well to watch
closely the rapidly changing aspects
of the situation, for all the old parties
are being made over. many favorlte
policies are being scrapped, and many
of the old leaders jettisoned, having
failed to test true in the fire of wac
and reconstruction.
British politicians and the voters
are now searching for three things:
A Man-Wanted by the old parties
as leader.
A Party-wanted by several self
styled "nen."
A Policy-Wanted by the parties,
the would-be men. and the general
public. And here is where the rest OF
the world becomes interested, for it
is an on-looker.
The number of possible candidates
for the first job is remarkably small.
The average citizen would tell you,
most likely, that there Is only one
David Lloyd George, the little Welsh
wizard" who received such an eX-
traordinary national welcome on his
return from the conference table at
olIS. DuG lloyu 1COi By VSoN w
the first to admit that he Is no
stranger to the other side of poll
teal fame, and for some years before
the war he was probably the most
bitterly cursed man in England. Nine
teen years ago he had to flee for his
life, disguised in a policeman's uni
form, to escape patriotic" mob who
resented his championship OF the Boer
CO., Ant Nryna
then at war.
Lloyd. George is the one outstanding
character in British political life
today, and by sheer hard work. flashes
of intuitive genius and personal mag
netism he has lined up practically the
whole country behind him.
But what he needs is a party. For
merly leader Of the radical wing OF the
liberal party. he automatically sue
ceeded H. II. Asquith in the party
favor, when the latter was compelled
to resign the premiership, and the
coalition government was formed by
Lloyd George in 1916. The coalition
has served Its purpose and like most
such temporary expedients shows
signs of early disruption. Who is
Lloyd George going to lead then? is
the question agitating politicians.
The old liberal and conservative
parties have suffered too many cas-
ualties to be able to set up in business
again. The conservatives have their
own little "tin GODS" and will not
adopt Lloyd George. What the major
ity of the old liberals will do is puz.
zle. Although nc longer In parlia.
ment Che was overwhelmed in the
election just before Christmas) her
bert H. Asquith is still the leader Of a
bunch of liberals, who now politically
unimportant are contemptuously
styled the "Wee Frees" Asquith is a
dead-letter, but he can still rob Lloyd
George of some supporters.
The conservatives are nominaIly
united under Andrew Bonar Law, but
Law apparently does not aspire to be
the man the country is advertising iCr.
He was only a stop-gap alternative,
when elected to succeed Arthur James
Balfour in the party leadership in
1911-a buffer between the ir7'econ-
cilable factions roofing for Austen
Chamberlain and Walter Hume Long
respectively. He has proved himself
a capable and conscientious status.
man, but he lacks personal magnetism
Indispensable for great party leader.
The remainder of the conservative
leaders may be eliminated from tho
contest, Chamberlain and Long being
relegated to the "have beens" and
Balfour DESTROYS OF retiring from poll
teal life on account Of his great age.
The only two serious rivals of
Lloyd George in the personality con-
test are Winston S. Churchill, at pres
ent war secretary, and Robert Smile
miners leader and uncrowned king of
British labor. Both have the magnetic
gift, and both will go far. according
to the prophets and close observers
If he had never taken over the war
office in the coalition governm ent,
Churchill might have successfully
challenged Lloyd George for the
leadership Of the combined liberal
and labor parties, but his handling of
rehabilitation and the Russian ex.
petition has aroused bitter resent
ment among laborites and a section
Of the liberal party. That Churchill
will be premier of England some day
is certain, declare most experts, but
he will probably have to lie low for a
bit.
Smillie is the dark horse" He is
not new man, but his parliamentary
career has been brief and obscure
for he has generally been defeated in
sypical Scotch labor constituencies by
his own countrymen, who nevertheless
gave him full power to bargain for
them industrfally. Since he has been
president of the Miners Federation OF
Great Britain, he has been easily the
outstanding figure in the labor world
The favorites then, for prime minister
are, David Lloyd George, Winston
Churchill and Robert Smile. 1t might
| be said that Smillies party is obvious
and ready made-the labor party, but
| that is not so, for he had had cur
ious sequence of parliamentary de
feats.
| For Lloyd George and Churchill
| there is billet on offer. A new or
ganization, the center party has arisen
combination of progressive liberals
and conservatives, and Lloyd George
and Churchill would appear to be the
natural leaders. Overtures have been
made, but although it is said that
| Churchill fs willing I,lOyd George has