The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-08-21
Lloyd Georges
Support Sought

Center party to provide the solution
of Great Britain's political Difficult
ties? And viii Premier Lloyd George
adopt the latest political infant and
undertake to lead 1t to the promised
land of Object
These questions are agitating Brit
ain, although it is generally believed
the answer to both is in the affrma-
tive. When, few weeks ago War
Secretary Winston Churchill, accept
ed an invitation to dine at the Cri-
terion restaurant with the energetic
bunch of younger politicians who call
ed themselves the Center Coalition
group, he came straight from Lloyd
Georges home, after interviewing the
premier, and proceeded to bless the
Center Coalition group and its aims.
Among his fellow guests were the
two great party managers and cleo
ton controllers, Capt. the Hon. Fred
erick Guest, Chief Liberal Whip, and
Sir George Younger, Chief UniOnist
Whip. Further the company was hon
ored by the presence of Lord Chan
cellor Birkenhead, formerly Frederick
E. Smith, one of the most brilliant
lawyers and House of Commons de-
bators of his party. OF course both
Freddie" Birkenhead and winnie"
Churchill have long been bosom
friends although of ..cerent political
parties, but both are restless and am
bilious spirits, and not given to vast
ing time on complimentary dinners
unless there is something to it.
The Center Coalition Group mod
estly RETAINED from advertising the
honor done them, but it came out and
Immediately the political experts hail
ed the birth of a new party, 1t was
Eopenly stated that Churchill had, at.
tended the gathering as the repre-
sentative of Lloyd George, and as Sir
George Younger's presence was TAX
en- to confer Andrew Bonar Laws
blessing on the movement, the Center
Party was Immediately saddled with
three chieftains. That is, saddled with
Lloyd George as high priest, and
Churchill and Bonar Law as assist
lants.
Churchill smiled and acected to
treat the matter as a joke, when ques-
toned; Lloyd George said, 81 have
nothing to say" and Bonar Law
smiled Not enough evidence for a
conviction, perhaps, but it was not a
'enial, and the wiseacres easily made
out thei. case. And, one does not
have to study British politics very
closely to see how likely and even
desirable It would be.
Lloyd George, the one outstanding
figure is a singularly barren political
age, has no party. He has always
been Liberal, but his late chief,
Herbert H. Asquith, who was ousted
from the premiership over the shells
scandal is still the Official leader OF
The Liberal marty, and a devoted band
of Liberals under Sir Donald Mac
lean, insist :hat he is still the one ant
only leader. Moreover, Sir Donald
and the "Wee Frees" as the Asquith
ian Liberals are called in Parliament
! do not approve of all Lloyd George
policies.
The chism in the Liberal ranks il
even greater in the Conservative par
ty for the aggressive Austen Cham
berlain and Walter Hume Long fac
r tions, have shed sub-groups following
! Sir Edward Carson and Lord Rober
Cecil. Andrew Bonar Law is the nom
inal leader but he was never NOR
than stop-gap destined to conciliat
the Chamberlain and Long groups
and he does not seem desirous o
striking out line for himself.
The old Liberal and Conservative
!. parties have been killed by the wal
and can never expect TO resume indie
pendent operations when the presen
Coalition government splits up. l
they attempted to they would almos
= assuredly be overwhelmed by a com
e bination of labor groups. Hence tn
r formation of a Center Party com
t posed of the progressive elements o
S the two old parties would be the log
:, ical solution.
4 The one thing required is defnit
q policy. Lloyd George undoubtedl
has one ready, strong, progressiv
policy which will rake in many mod
$ crate labor men who are at presen
0 a bit scared by the bloshevik tender
cies of the official labor leaders.