Evening star., 1919-12-26

/
Chicago Daily News. Copyright. 1919.
LONDON. December 23.-Rising to the
zenith of his expository and oratori-
cal powers in the house of commons
last night Prime Minister Lloyd
George outlined the governments new
Irish proposals and swept everything
before him. Not'a voice was raised in
protest. not a critical question was
lIte. ;arted, and when the premier sat
dpW2i the crowded benches broke into
! y vlu'orge,!. 4 Jplausc. 1t was not a sharp
o.,;blirst like a thunder clap. There was
no cheering. no d-clapping. but just
/ . deep blending of male voices attesting
the houses solemn qualification over
what it deemed a great feat greatly per-
| formed
! For three hours and twenty
minutes I sat in 1.-The members gal
lery waiting for the Welsh orator TO
appear. At 5 O'Clock in the afternoon
the gallery was packed. At the end
i of tine long. stately. oak -panelod room
! the womens gallery was also packed.
Into the distinguished strangers gal
lery Immediately below where l sat
personages quietly passed by ones
and twos until no room was le1t.
resentatives of the whole Engllsh
speaking world. The white hair and
clean. strong face of the American
J amba ssador was conspicuous in the
bfdCk ana COdltu SIouP-
vacant places could be seen on me
members benches on the main floor of
the house but the front benches or
both the government and the opposi-
ton were completely filled
Crowds Began to Thin.
This. as have said, was at o'clock.
With the bewigged speaker in the
huge canopied chair and the bewigged
functionaries of the house seated be-
low him, a long debate ensued on the
governments electric powers Dill.
Gradually the benches became thin
ner. Gradually the galleries began TO
thin. The American ambassador ana
some of his associates crept out. AS
the ambassador passed me with
twinkle in his eyes he pressed my
hand and whispered, "If you do not
pull off a show pretty soon you Will lose
your audience"
Despite the acute and closely
reasoned debate the house became
three-fourths empty. Six O'Clock
came. then 6:15. and suddenly the
and his friends came quickly and
softly slipped back into their places
The womens gallery refilled. My
companions of the members gallery
tpoped in. The members filed to
their seats all over the house and
there was pervasive hum of guarded
shuffiings and ghostly whisperings.
At 6:25 the electricity bill was de-
clared carried and at 6:2I from pc
hind the speakers chair stepped the
man of the hour, the members re-
spending with a strange, low, hoarse
commingling of voices. Mr.. Lloyd
George moved quickly to his place
on the front opposition bench and
sat down next to Bonar Law. On
either side were members of the
overnment-Churchill, Chamberln, the
Geddeses, DR.. Adamson and others, sew
erai of whom had drawn themselves
up abruptly from a sprawling posi-
ton. Lloyd George had a sheaf of
notes in his hand. He nervously
shifted his arms and fingered his
large, dark cravat. He was chatting
to be off and in less than a minutes
time he was off.
spoke for Hour and Half.
He spoke for an hour and half.
enjoyed every moment of the Won
derful performance. How did he do
it?
How did he cast a spell over the
silent benches and the rapt galleries.?
Was 1t becAuse of his size? No. he
is not aGbig man. From my lofty
seat he looked almost like a pigmy
what bigness he had being in his
chest and head, over which fell an
iron gray hair that now and again
showed glossy in the subdued light
from the hidden bulbs overhead.
Was it the magic of his voice? No,
his voice has no extraordinary res
onance, timbre or melody; it sounded