Evening star., 1921-09-04

u
Napoleon has appeared on the
earth who attracts SO universal
an Interest as Lloyd George.
This is a rather startling thought.
1t is significant. 1 think. how COM
pletely politician should over
shadow all the great soldiers and
sailors charged with their nations
very life in the severest and Infinitely
the most critical military struggle OF
mans history.
A democratic age, lacking In color
and antlpathetic to romance. some
what obscures for US the pictorial
achievement of this remarkable fg-
ure. He lacks only a crown. a robe
and a gilded chair easily to outshine
in visible picturesQueness the great
emperor. His achievement. when we
consider what hung upon 1t. II great
er than Napoleon's. the narrative Of
his origin more romantic. his char
acter more complex. And yet. who
does not feel the greatness of Ma
pOleon?-and who does not suspect
the shallowness of Lloyd George?
History. 1T is certain, will unmask
his pretentions to grandeur with a
rough. perhaps with an angry hand;
but all the more because of this un-
masking posterity will continue to
crowd about the exposed hero ask
ing. and perhaps for centuries con-
tinuing to ask. questions concerning
his place in the history of the world.
How came it, man Of straw, that in
Armegeddon there was none great
er than you?"
THE coidest-blooded among US must
confess that 1t was moment
rich in the emotion which bestows
Immortality on incident when this
son OF village schoolmaster, who
grew up in a shoemaker's shop and
whose boyish games were played in
the street Of a Welsh hamlet remote
from all the refinements Of civiliza-
uon and all the clangors of indus
triaiism, announced to a breathless
Europe without any pomposity of
phrase and with but a brief and con-
Iemptoous gesture of dismissal the
passing away from the worlds stage
OF the Hapsburgs and Hohenzollerna
-tnose ancient. long glorious. and
most puissant houses whose hfsfnrv
rope. VI Gu-
. How How i. it that this politician has
70 such super-prominence?
L
70 answer this question. Ea,Iv H.
tns pn;. stroegie to get munitions for
oritisn soldiers q meeting Of al, ~
principal manufacturer of .rma
ments was held in whitehall wi,h
me ob1ect of persuading them to nooi
tnelr trade secrets =" p"o'
ror long time this meeting w, @
nE.n!ng more than a succesaion ~
oiunt speeches on the part ~ NC.
W Sai manufacturers. showing. with
ananswerable commerciai lo1ic
.n1t the suggestion of revealing thess
secrets on which their fortnnes DE-
penoed was beyond the bounds of
ne ason. .% Al the fnter1ected arguments
OF the military and ofiicial gentlemen
representing the government w.ra
easily proved by these hard hes ded
manufacturers. Responsible to that
workpeopie and shareholders for the
prosperity Of their competing under.
Akings. to be tmpracticabie II not
preposterous.
"A. At a moment when the proposal Of
tne government seemed lost Mr.
Lloyd George leaned forward in hia
earnest.
Gentlemen." he said in a voice that
produced An extraordinary hush.
nave you forgotten that your sons.
At this very moment, are being killed
Killed in hundreds and thousands? !?
They are being killed by German guns
for want Of British guns They are
being wiped out of life in thousands,
Gentlemen, give me guns. Don't think
Of your trade secrets. Think Of your
children. Help them! Give me those
guns"
This was no stage acting. His voice
broke. his eyes filled with tears and
his hand. holding a piece Of note
paper before him, shook like a leaf