The Washington herald., 1922-03-08
Sin in The Rins.
WIHATEVER happens to David [,

W/HAIEVEk happens to David Lloyd George,
w he cannot say he.was not warned BY his
tory. But then. the doughty Welshman doesn't
give much indication Of being swayed by olden
records or rules, patterring himself along most
original lines. However that may be, she should
be reminded that the influence Of Demosthenes
reached its climax in the eight years between the
peace OF Philocrates in 346 B. c. AMI the battle of
Chaeronea in 338 B. c." and that Julius Caesar
formed an alliance with Pompey and Crassus in
90 B. C.. which was wrecked in 81 B. C. The
thing runs in octennial periods-and Lloyd George
has been cock of the roost for seven years.
l. II is the New York Herald which adduces the
above interesting dates But this paper doesn't,
apparently give any credence to the possible
| apposteness Of these classic examples than in all
probability, would the British premier If any
! one thinks Lloyd George is going to resign and
crawl off to die, the Herald holds he little knows
| the man. After rectng his valorous deeds in the
face OF what has several times seemed inevitable po
! litical disaster, our contemporary goes on to say
| The opposition has been practically leaderess
| The names of Grey. Balfour and Cecil have been
mentioned possible candidates for the premier
ship. but until there have been only, negligible
responses from the electors But the eighth year
of the reign of the smiling Weshman is nigh; be-
sides, the fifth year since his election will expire in
| 1923, and British political tradition says that no
premier shall go longer than FIVE years without
vote of confidence from the electorate
at seems therefore that general election in the
not distant future is likely. What will happen to
the coalition which has backed up the premier all
these years is a present concern of Englishmen.
There has been talk of new Nationalist party to
be headed by the prime minister; his letter to
Austen Chamberlain telling the chancellor Of the
eAchequer that Unionst backbiting and sniping
would have to stop lends color to the belief that the
premier is ready to iettison any who do not feel
like joining him in the new party move. Certainly
the letter is indication that the premier will try
to conciate the recacitrant members of the coali-
tion simply to win their support.
"ln the light of the past the rumor that the
premier intends to resign and that his letter was
intended to pave the way is not convincing. He has
never shown himself gutter. On the contrary,
he always has been eager to join issue with his
opponents. The only reason for paying any atten-
ton at all to the rupor that Lloyd George might
resign is the fact that it originated with the Pail
Mall Gazette, London newspaper reputed to be
we'll informed with regard to the political plans of
Lloyd George. He might, however, resign as
leader of the coalition and throw down the glove
to his foes
"The plight of Lloyd George is not nearly as
gloomy it is pictured by his opponents. Sir
George Younger's recent bluff called by Lloyd
George, and Younger obliged to admit his
weakness. The premcr's star still outshines all
others; without strong leader there would be no
chance for any of the other British leaders to win
against him if he chose to lead Nationalist combi-
nation recruited from among the liberals of all exist
ing political groups Even Asquith, nominal leader
of the opposition, who is making at least two
speeches week in the house of commons does not,
except at long intervals, say anything that has
enough of the ring of battle in it to get into the
newspapers.
1t is not the premier who looks upon the desert
ing members of the coalition and exclaims EFT tu,
Brute! Despite the approach Of the eighth year of
his power and the fifth year of his political rule,
Lloyd George still swings his fists in the air and
strikes terror in the hearts of his foes"