Evening star., 1922-03-12
LLOYD GEORGE SEEN
THRIVING ON CRISES
Barnes Expects British Pre-
mier to Continue at
the Helm.
COALITION WILL GO ON
Each Party Lacks Strength to Con-
troll, Though Liberals
! Are Gaining.
COALITION WILL GO ON
BY GEORGE N. BARNES,
British Parliament Leader.

By Radio to The Star
LONDON, March 11.-One political
crisis after another crowds upon
Lloyd George, but still he stands and
the coalition stands with him.
The coalition idea OF government
must continue for some time to come,
despite the fact that the British do
not like political combinations They
delight instead in robustious party
warfare
Born of the war, the coalition will
gradually grow weaker as war MEM
cries recede until at last it will dis
appear. 1t must continue now for
the simple reason that no single
party will be numerically strong
enough to win a majority in any
election of the near future.
Another coalition will emerge from
the next election. whenever it may
come. But unless I am very much
mistaken the conservatives and tho
die hards." who have applauded SO
loudly the downfall of Mr.. Montagu
as secretary for India. are having
their last fling. The proceedings lead
ing up to and eliminating in the
crisis of the last few days will be
found to have damaged the conserve
tives' chance Of figuring prominently
in the next go at the polls.
Thrives On Crises.
The throw of the cards still is with
Lloyd George. He seems to thrive on
crises. The coalition government has
been badly shaken. The troubles
have arisen out of conflicting views
Of Lloyd Georges leadership and the
bearing of that leadership on the
fortunes OF the conservative party
in the state of political party fiuE
in which the war and the rise OF the
labor party has left US.
At the other extreme to the labor
party there is the reactionary and re
bellious section of the conservative
coalitionists. and between the two
there are the uncertain currents
among the coalition liberals.
The idea of a national or center
party was launched sometime ago by
Winston Churchill and indorsed by
Lloyd George, who was expected 10
give the lead in that direction at the
meeting arranged for him upon his
the Irish and labor excesses had ap-
parently excited apprehension in the
country. On the strength of this Sir
George Younger. director Of the con-
ceived the idea of a united conserva-
tive party, dispensing with Lloyd
George altogether and assuming the
reins OF government.
Left In the Lurch.
Whereupon as a temporary measure
of compromise both the liberal and
conservative coalitionists each agreed
to run separately its own candidates
at the election, provided only that
each side should keep out Of the
others preserves. 1t was a sort of
wedding contract for separate beds
And as might have been expected, il
turned out a dismal failure. For in
the series of elections of the last few
weeks the coalition candidates have
been smitten hip and thigh by the
liberals and left in the lurch by the
''die hards.'
The manipulators of the conserva-
tive machine are the ones responsible
for the political crisis, but they are
doomed to disbursement when the
British general election comes. for
the country wants above all things
peace and release from the Irish and
economic troubles. These manipula-
tors will, 1 believe, be made to toe
the line until Ireland's election is
over and European clouds lift a little
SO as to admit of little brighter
trade outlook. Then will come set
tlement of accounts.
Copyright 1927