Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-29
DOWNFALL
DUE To H|S0WN POWER
CALLED A MODERN DAVID
Former Premier Of England Became 'Topheavy'
in Influence, Declares Harden; Greatly Handi-
capped in. Fight to Return; Fatal Mistake in
Near East Policy Was Last Straw in Defeat.

H~ohenzollerns came to Prussia from
South Germany; Catherine, Russia's
greatest ruling talent, was German;
Disraeli and Stahl, organizers Of the
Prussian junker party, were Jews, III
Bismarck had a drop of Slav blood.
Lloyd George. extraordinarily nom
English, accomplished what the Others
deemed impossible and even what the
iron Kitchener val powerless to do.
He compelled the rapid flow of a i'm
mense amount of munitions, built up Q
tremendous military machine, secured
unity of command, and compelled the
endurance of the nation in its darkest
hour.
He was the moving power in the
val and was not afraid to impose the
thus saving the country. He won the
working class when, as chancellor of
the exeheeauer, he introduced the
''poer mans budget and as a p~acifist
opposed the boer wars imperialistie
policies and as a socialist opposed the
privileges of the lords. His hypnotic
power over men saved the empire from
financial ruin. Probably no English
man could have achieved such mastery
over the popular imagination.
He was admirably fitted to mediate
between two continents because he
possessed un%perishable gaiety. extra
ordinary idealism, Baptist sentimental
ity with the impartial business sense
of the best Americans. A hundred
per cent Englishman would have hes
itated to break the treaty with Japan,
abandon fleet supremacy, grant the
deminions full rights Of determination
in agreement on the imperial policy,
allow ireland the same statutes as
England, make concessions to Egypt's
na%tionaiism and even prepare the way
for the self-government Of India
Lloyd George did this because he IN
derstood modern necessity and that
only by this price could Americas last
ing friendship be had.
Victim of Own Power
He finally fell a victim to his own
power. Crowds of cheering ~flatter-
ers influenced his judgment. making
him believe that he could do anything,
His hasty soviet negotiations were
based on the desire to control new pc
troleum resources. his moody, mon
arch-iike behavior at Genoa and his
daily sermons directed toward France
on self-restraint despite the English
fear of Germany's navy and her mer-
chant marine. colonial empire and ex-
port competition, and the Baifour
notes-a transparent attempt at pres
sure on America. were the most
prominent but not the only mistakes
he made in recent months. To accom-
plish the precise, industrious Poin-
cares fall, since the latter would not
yield to his hypnotism, he threatened
and seoided France, provoking rude
retorts. Then came the fatal error of
his Near East policy.
The premier could have saved him
self if he could have found the eouT-
agee to say no.
Premier's Humiliation
Empires won't bow before Asia and
won't allow the Turks, under whose
misrule the richest lands were, de,
| vastated, to return to Europe and
| make Adrianople and Constantinopie
the scene of CHASTITY Christian massa-
cres."
But he feared the fanatical fury
of the Indian Mohammedans and four
years after victory put his signature
to the greatest humiliation IN the his
tory. Of England's oriental policy. He
failed to perfect the agreement with
| Russia. The Prince of Wales India
trip was q failure and the Sultan hna-
lf is more powerful than for cen
turtles. Italy is discontinued and the
entente ties are loosened, while Da-
vid's hard and sling no longer are
effeetual.
Now he has to disappear. For how
long?
The November fog descends on Eng
lands cliffs and only n thing Is Ger
tain. Mrs. Lloyd George is right when
she says her husband will continue
to fight for his political aims. For
which-that's the question. When a
man loses power through rendering
service to royalty he soons learns to
treasure again the old radical democ-
raey.