Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-20
LLOYD GEORGE YIELDS TO
ALEADERLESS ENGLAND
Mereurial Premier the Last Of the War
Statesmen to Suffer the Consequences
Of Post-Armistice Reactions and
Political Insurgenee

Statesmen to Suffer the Consequences
Of Post-Armistiee Reactions and
Political Insurgenee
DETTISH Prime Ministers are removable
- By death, by voluntary resignation and
By political defeat. The last Of these
methods has been the most frequently sp.
piled 70 Prime Ministers in Office. Down
fall or repudation is, as a rule. the uli
mate consequence Of national leadership in
England The rn!ghtier the statesman. the
more vivid and decisive his collapse when
the political pendulum swings beyond his
control.
David Lloyd George has therefore paid
the conventional penalty Of eninence in the
British Government. Signs Of prsdestned
overthrow in accordance with the dramatic
fVnct!oning Of an unwrttten constitution
have been increasingly apparent since the
failure Of the Genoa conference. The Near
Eastern crisis. taxing 10 The full the con-
summate audarity and tactical skill! Of the
most dazzling and perhaps the ablest oppor-
tunist in the annals Of the empire, stretched
the lines Of the Coalition network 10 the
swapping point.
LiDsu 'pcTgt pPTLpEHIhl'r AOA 1''|
last few weeks suggests DR.. Johnson's well.
known comment upon a dog walking on its
hind legs: 1T is not done well. but you
are surprised to find It done al all
The career Of Lloyd George has been re.
plete with such surprises though in fair
ness to his resourcefulness, unimpeacheble
ma -in.iarn md eytraordIpa-v rsnue-s ~ guiF-
decision il must be added that in many in
stances the feat vas not only phenomenal,
but admirably done. Indeed the average
Of miracle working has been 90 high that
bis compulsory surrender Of the seals Of
Office IS made not 20 some other inevitable
and dominant political antagonist, but to
inpapable and uncomfortable chaos.
That the Conservatives have capitalized
Lloyd Georges recent embarrassments and
are struggling 70 stage renascence Is the
supsrfc!"' and Immediate cause Of the up
heava!. But It's real origins are deeper than
the well. upholstered chairs Of the Carlton
Club, in which the sudden attack was
planned.
The descent Of Lloyd George means that
for England. politically speaking the war
is over at last. In no country the world
over had the powers Of survival in political
machinery fashioned 10 meet the crisis Of
almost universal strife proved enduring
Lloyd George IN the seat Of authority wit
messed the passing as prime factors in gov
ernmrnt Of every war leader in every major
nation. That in itself was an amazing
achievement. Considering the diversified
r. k,I,
adverseries, the accomplishment savors Of
the preposterous.
Lloyd Geo-re. It may be said, was In
character 10 the end. He ret!res for the
moment at least, in the face If situation
with few parallels in Englth constitu-
tional history. British parties are In
state OF fux. confusion. rnetamorphos!s
The Conservatives, Inarshal!ng the rem
nants Of the old un!on!st group constitute
n minority against Liberals, Labor!tes and
adherents of the ex Premier.
II Lloyd Georges political astuteness can
effect new alignment, the ascendancy Of
Bonar Law, Lord Derby, Earl CurzOn and
the die hard reaCtionaries, who are pDss-
bly, hoping in their hour Of victory that
England Is ready for return 70 Toryism
Of the pre- war or Victorian type, may be
brief The parliamentary election virtually
certain 70 be held will demonstrate wherher
or no, the public is IN the willful mood 20
which, for example, Po!ncare owes his
elevation in France and which has been
displayed so perversely In many countries
since the armistice. Time will tell
whether postwar fretfulness and curious
breed Of wanton irritation are merely show
Ing It's resentfulness or whether there are
any fundamentals Of reasoned political re-
construction behind the change,
Meanwhile, time is afforded for esti.
mates Of the retiring Premier as Il tremen-
dous figure In epic times. The most In
veterste enemies Of David Lloyd George
have been unable to deny the splendor Of
his most conspicuous acts. His mercural
character and the Aex!bil!ty of his principles
may be the despair Of the psychoanalyst
but temperamental shortcomings, II such
they be deemed, cannot In justice detract
from the magnitude OF his achievements. II
these be opportunist, Britain, IL must be
said. has made the most Of them and for
manence.
Lloyd George, the fiery Radical, sworn
foe-for a t!me-of privileged land owning
classes, originator Of revolutionary budgets,
extinguisher Of the House Of Lords as a
vital legislative force, indomltable 90 ordi-
nator Of war resources, embodiment Of
driving force in the hour Of his country's
peril, tempestuous peacemaker, MASTER
hand In the solution Of the Irish problem
and all around political Philistine securely
takes his place among the artifcers Of his
tory. England has had many more con-
sistent rulers. She can boast of few his
equal IN intrinsic democratic spirit, flaming
but simple oratory, enthusiasm, shrewdness,
courage and, perhaps above all, magnetic
personal charm.
Bonar Law, 1t Is said, has been named
his stop gap successor in the premiership.
ENGLAND, when she cools down, may devote
herself to the contemplation of this picture