Evening star., 1922-07-09
NJ THOMAS n. MARSHALL,
Former Vice President ef the
United States,

p
Unfted States. =
{ LONDON. July 1. 1873.
Observing English politics ~ .
temporary oniooker. note many
: points OF similarity to American
politics and some things entirely
dissimilar. One likeness protrudes:
Tho English. true to American
form. divide markedly in their
+. opinion Of a leader. those favorint
him believing with the blind seal
Of worshiper in his absolute in
errency, while those opposed re-
gard him as ihsincere. untrustwor-
thy, positively dangerous.
take no side in British poll
tics. To attempt to do SO. would
be as foolish as, it would be idle.
It would betray ignorance. how
ever. rather than prejudice. az my
attitude toward men and events IL
wholly impersonal.
. find here the same crowd Of In,
cense burners. and the same poison
squad that from my earliest recoi-
lections have been parts Of Ameri.
can politics. The British premier
has the same devoted following In
England that Mr.. Wilson has in
America. He also has the same
enemies who can see no good in
him. My view Is that when the
shellshock of the war has disap-
peared and the ordinarily delib-
crate Judgment OF the Britisher has
George will be universally accepted
as man who was imbued with the
highest sense of responsibility. but
who was sufficiently keen Of mind
( to understand that in order to at
tain to success and even measure.
bly, to maintain the traditions OF
the British empire, 1t was neces-
sary for him to take advantage Of
every favorable circumstances.
X +
Personally, 1 have never yielded
assent to the idea that mere
human was necessarily and always
either right or wrong, 50 oompar-
ing and contrasting all the things
about the premier that have been
told me by his friends and foes
I am convinced that when history
has fixed his status he will BE-
marked as a truly wonderful man
and as one Of tho worlds born
=, leaders. What the judgment Of
the world may conclude as to his
being an opportunist It is yet far
too early even to surmise.
One thing must be admitted-Mr.
George has driven with almost un-
believable success the most re-
markable team in modern history.
do not refer to the coalition gov
would be about all a premier could
be expected to take charge Of.
Believing as I do in party govern
ment, l cannot understand how 1t
is possible in the hour of peace to
keep together q ministry whose
members were agreed upon only
as a temporary expediency. His
achievement along this line would
mark David Lloyd George as the
But the unruly team to which
refer has to do with the almost
death struggle going on between
the old order and the new. be-
tween the descendants Of the men
who have been dominant in British
politics for centuries and those
who are insistent upon q complete
reversal oI =" hCIlSt
or not a man believes in the Brit
ish premier and supports his ideas
and efforts. he must give him un-
: measured credit for his success in
maintaining his ministry in power.
There are many who believe. or
say they believe; that the British
premier Is simply an opportunist.
that whatever may happen to
Great Britain he will be found as
always playing safe for himself.
This is not the view of unthinkin6
men only, but OF q considerable
number of highest grade citizens,
including the men who place their
confidence in a future ministry to
be formed by Grey of Falloden.S
Unfortunately for me, the viscount
10 i'll in the north Of England and
I cannot renew that gracious ac-
ouaintanceship which began when
he was in Washington.
speak not Of ministries. not Of
polite principles. not Of the con-
tending tides either Of self-inter-.
est or party success. but Of Grey
Of Falloden, personally. from q
fairly intimate knowledge Of him,
when I say that should Mr.. Lloyd
GEORGES ministry fail and should
Grey be summoned to form q cabi-
net, British affairs would BE- IN