The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-02-18
ny T. p. o'coNNoR.
SDecial COrreSnOndenCe.

Copyright. 1920. by Public Ledger co.
LONDON. Jan. Sl.--As an old politi-
clan ! give this counsel to all young
politicians: that when they want to
know how the wind Is blowing they
most self-seeking individual among
their acquaintance. The trimmed is al
ways the safest barometer. Acting
upon this conviction. l sought the other
day. the bigBes, trimmer IN the House
OF Commons. | was rewarded. The spe-
Cial question upon which sought infor-
nation was the progress Of that allur-
ing pastime which has been engaging so
many journalists and so many politi-
clans for the last two or throe years
with the pursued fox not yet caught
That pastlmc Is what is known in poliu.
cal circles as saving the soul OF Lloyd
George.
This IS. In effect what my inform
ant said To me: The ideal thing is to
keep the Liberal party together. and tho
first step is to reunite 1t. Who is the
man who can do that" Asquith, | ven-
tured to suggest. My informant was
scornful. Asqu!th. he said. is back
went on. In sight except Lloyd George?
And. he said, IL Lloyd George be the
only possible leader for Liberal party.
why should We not concentrate on MIN
and reunite tho Coalittonists and tho
Wee Frees--it is thus that tho AsQuith-
ian Liberals are known-into one party
under his leadership?
A few days before I had a converse
tIon with great journalist who is not
trimmer. but rather errs on the side
Of inexIb!lity. To my surprise l found
also that this was his View. His object.
no said. was to save tho Liberal party.
Persons did not matter To him And ne
put 20 me the Same question as the
other man put. who Is IN sight as
possible Liberal leader but Lloyd
George" He WAS equally Contemptu-
Gus OF tho possibly OF return or As:
quith to the control OF united LineraI
party.
parties are in q difficult position tho
ego comes in and the gravest Of all OBJ
stacles in the way OF reunited Libcrai
party is tho personal antagonism he
tween Lloyd George and the man with
whom he was formerly associated. As
auth, OF course, Is tho chief obstacle
He is not q bitter man. and his methods
of expression are always dignitied ana
restrained. But yet he has the power OF
into q single word. And that word he
uttered in a recent speech At Manches-
WORD wldensA Breach.
He was speaking Of the way in which
his overthrow had been brought about.
and in doing so he employed the words
and tho methods" and my friend who
was present. said that there was such
concentrated venom IN lne pTonulCia-
ton Of that one word that II gave him
a lurld insight into tho whole mind OF
Asqulth. His conclusion was that there
was no possibility OF reconciliation
between Asquith and Lloyd George.
On tho other hand, Lloyd George has
always been ready for a reconciliation
with Asquith. I asked him once would
he be willing to let AsQuith be lord
chancellor I put the question for the
reason that Mr.. Asqulth Is notoriouslY
not q rich man. His wifo has $500
year-much less than sno ought 70 have;
for her father left some Sl5.o0O.0Oo. and
her two brothers have quite large in
comes Mr.. Asquith can no longer prac-
tice at tho bar A man who has been
prime minister could not 20 back to pro
fessional life with US as an eX-PreSident
can with you. The lord chancellorship
Is the most splendid job in the British
empire. The salary is Sbo,o a year.
and the pension--even II the holder
serve for only q days $4,000.
There are four mon to-day who are
taking that pension-Lord Halsoury'
who Is 80: Lord Loreburn. Lord Hal
dane and Lord Buckmaster. There Is a
fifth--Lord Finlay-but no Is a rich
man was only q stop-gRp and undertook
not TO take q pension. and In SIX months
or so he was replaced by that brilliant