The New York herald., 1922-11-05

to his ends afoot, but on wings. Nay
he is swifter even than that. He
pierces directly to the center OF q
problem, disregarding the mass of de-
tail that may be piled up round about
him.
One of my friends, prominent
banker and one of the financial mag
mates Lloyd George as Chancellor of
the Exchequer. called into consulta-
ton when war broke out in 1914, told
me that it was almost magical how
the little Welsh solicitor got at the
source of the intricate financial prob
lens confronting them. Another of
my friends, consulted about matters
concerned with armaments. had the
same story to tell of his almost mirac-
ulous ability in getting at things at
which other men only arrived after
an apprenticeship and experience Of
many years. Lloyd George would be
at his goal while the others were on
their way.
His oratory is a superb gift, and in
England we have nothing else like It.
Compare it with Asquith's. Asquiths
style is ponderous. He never uses
simple Saxon words If he can find
long Latin equivalent-great words
follow one another like line Of heav-
lily laden trucks. He scorns emotion
and therefore all his speeches are dead
cold He has little or no humor. His
speeches are not lit by simple argu-
ments, which. like the street lamp
sends it's light far up the road. AS
n1,ith'c 0ra tory, ie Iahnrioue ITO ~ or,a
ment is like that of n traction engine,
while Lloyd Georges speeches have all
the light, graceful movement OF the
speediest of motor cars.
.Curzon's oratory is classical, stately,
formal. 1t always appears framed for
ceremonial occasions. II never wears
lounge suit, but is always clothed
in purple and fine linen.
Churchilrs speeches are most care
fully prepared and are always written
out word for word. The memory of
them is Of something rigid. There is
lack of spontaneity. There is always
something mechanical that stands be-
tween him and his audience.
Sir John Simon's oratory is that of
a barrister arguing n case not the ar
dent appeal of a prophet pleading
some mighty cause.
Lloyd Georges oratory is alive. II
is vital in every fiber. He told me
some time ago that in his first twenty
years of public life he wrote all his
speeches, but that since then he has
always spoken from notes. relying on
the discipline OF those early years. He
moves easily, using many and varied
vehicles to express himself. His hu-
NOR develops like bubbling spring.
His metaphors are extraordinarily
varied. They have n suddenness and
spontaneity which / think sometimes
surprise the speaker himself. And how
they brighten things. How memora-
BILE some of them are. Let me give an
instance
Lord Hugh Cecil had charged Lloyd
George with despoiling the Golfers of
the State church. Lloyd George, re-
calling in what condition the Cecil
peerage had been. hurled back this re-
tort: 1.-THE noble lords hands are
dripping with the fat OF sacrilege."
Everything else of that debate has
been forgotten, but those hands" re-
main fresh in every ones memory.
There are perils in this sort OF
speaking and Lloyd George has not al
together escaped them. Sometimes he
drops into dangerous colloqulalisms.
sometimes into something lower and
less refined. Occasionally his Smiles
are gathered from fields where he has
trespassed and they leave his audlenc
interested but unadmiring.
Some years ago he made n speech in
Limehouse and since then the word
''limehouse" has made It's way into the
English vocabulary TO express tainted
speech or similar expressions which
are unsavory. But these instances
have been infrequent and can be
counted on the fingers of one hand.
On the whole, his speeches have been
large, lofty. varied, full of light and
color. arresting and convincing.