The New York herald., 1920-01-18
How Henry Dalziel Came
to Parliament and Aided
Lloyd George by His Pen

and OF his career. There were seven can
didates for the Kirkcaldy burghs. Two OF
them were distinguished public men. 9TH
ers were locally powerful in family and in
wealth and here there descended upon
them this poor young reporter. They didn't
know it-for London TO the provincial has
still it's streets paved with gold-but he
was poorer than they thought The port
manteau which carried his small ward
robe was susptciously new; the little
money he had in his pocket had been len;
by friends who realized his possibilities
and the darling youngster had already
nerve enough and skill enough TO ward off
those cautious inquiries as to the footing
of the big election costs which the canny
Scotch solicitor naturally puts when he
takes on the job. And so Henry Dalzie
became a member OF Parliament.
He soon justified his success, for in less
than year he had already made himself
a prominent figure in the House of Com
mons. He had great fluency OF speech
his style was essentially parliamentary
and he had flair for parliamentary sit
uations that was almost uncanny. He
knew then--as he does even more now
Just the exact moment and the exact sit.
uation when Intervention may be decisive
and may turn the shifting battle either
to the one side or the other. And he made
a very useful alliance with a young man
who had entered the House just two years
before and was practically the same age
The young man, then wearing short nut.
ton chop whiskers, with thin and unlined
face. was utterly undistinguished in ap-
pearance and nobody expected anything
particular from him except restlessness
and perhaps windy Welsh rhetoric Blu,
the young man was Lloyd George, and
Dalziel, at all events. realized his possi-
pilities. II remember the time" once
said to Lloyd George. when you and Dali
ziel were hunting in couples Yes" re-
piled Lloyd George, .'and Dalziel a little
IN front" Which was the truth.
What has made the difference in the
careers OF the two men-both very sue
ccssful, but the one dizzily beyond the
success of the other. 1t is that poor though
Lloyd George was then he was not SO
poor as Dalziel. for George has always
had people to work for him, a devoted
brother as well as a devoted uncle and a
good partner, and, anyhow however poor
ne was. George could never be got to put
anything IN front of his political activities
and ambitions. Nothing could be untruer
than to think that Lloyd George cares for
money: he has never cared for anything
but politics. Give me thousand a year. :
he said to me some years ago, and have
all the money want"
Prospers With Newspaper.
But Dalziel stood alone. and in addition
ne had a certain genius for finance that
had TO come out. He tried several times
before he got there. He started social
weekly:it failed. He was one Of the frs,
to realize the potentialities OF the film
industry, but again he failed to get the
| advantage of his foresight. But he has
the Scotchman's tenacity, and his firs,
stroke of luck came when he was able to
,get the control OF Reynolds newspaper
an old radical organ that had fallen or
evll days after long period of huge sue
lcess. From that time Dalziel has neve,
looked back
But in British politics you cannot serve
God and ManMlon. If you get interested
TOO much in things outside OF politics yol
cannot make your way steadily and in
evitably in the House of Commons. Il
Dalziel had forgotten all about becomins
a great newspaper proprietor he woulc
have been a powerful Cabinet Ministe,
years ago; ever short time ago. wher
George was looking out for associates
Dalze might have been a member of hi:
administration.
I think 1t something of tragedy that Z
man OF such brilliant parliamentary gift.
should not be great minister, but doub
If Dalziel has any regrets He likes hi.
ease; above ALL he likes his freedom, ant
the position OF even n powerful cabine
minister is one of hard drudgery ant
something like slavery. And Dalziel is in
capable of submitting to such a shacklinl
OF his personal liberty.
| He contented himself, then, with doinc
big things outside the House and with the
positions very happy position-of being a
powerful unofficial and independent pri.
vate member inside the House. His great
opportunity in that position came with the
\ war. He the first IN ma lxe ny
his mind that Asquith as a war minister
must go and that the one man for the jot
was Lloyd George. Thus he became
speaking as Liberal. the most caustic
and the most persistent critic OF the Lib
eral administration. lie kept at il night
and day; he was in alliance in his task
with another powerful figure in Lord
Northcliffe. and the two men worked into
each others hands.
Gusts Lloyd George Critic.
When at last the change came Dalziel
became the chief unofficial advocate OF
Lloyd George. and the opportunity came
soon of striking n heavy blow both for his
own hand and the hand of Lloyd George
Robert Donald. another Scotchman. was
then editor of the Daily Chronicle and OF
Lloyd's Weekly, very widely read week.
\ ly journal Donald and Lloyd George. in
some way or other, got to daggers points
though they had been warm and intimate
friends. They both lived at Walton Heath;
they we're both devoted TO golf. and more
often than not on Saturday they played
golf together. But Donald became a free
critic of Lloyd George; and then, heigh
presto! Donald was out OF his editorial
chair and Dalziel had bought off a big
combination OF capital which made him
the head of great newspaper organiza-