Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-12-24

The Coalition Government ia
- at an end. 1t has fallen to
pieces like house which was built
of untempered mortar, and this same
untempered mortar suggests the secret
cause of its collapse.
The Government had no funda.
mental affinities. 1t had no consist
ency; it had no unifying principles
and it had no vital k.nships. Its mem
bers We're yoked together but did not
form a team. They pulled toward
diverse ends. To mix together Lloyd
George and the Tory party was to mix
incongruous clements. They were as
liquids in the same bottle. but like oil
and water they occupied different
strata even when housed together.
They had connection but no relation.
They had contact but no communion.
Think of the Tory party. Toryism
always has been allstocratic and ex-
elusive. 1t has been the custodian of
venerable custom and tradition. 1t
has been the sleery guardian OF the
Established Church. 1t has defended
the national universities as its own
private preserves and they were only
opened to wider freedom when the
barriers We're broken down from the
outside. It's powers have been bound
UP in the great larGed estates and 1t
has sought to control our agricultural
life and interests These three things
church, universities and land-have
shaped the Conservatives convictions
and policies for many generations.
Now think of Lloyd George. He
has no connection with any Of these
three. He Is not a state churchman.
He is a Baptist-not Just labeled as
such, but one by conviction. His nom
conformity is almost an aggressive
thing. He has never tried to hide It
Second, he has never entered the
precincts Of university. No college
has set its seal on him. What educa-
ton he has was gained in the village
school and as a pupil of his cobbler
uncle. Third, he has no connection
with the land. No estate bears his
name. He has never owned an acre.
His emergence into public life took
the form OF smashing a fence which
some one had erected to destroy the
public right of way. This sort of
thing has consistently been his only
relationship to land. He has been the
champion OF the peoples rights and
the Jealous antagonist of the land
owner and squire.
Well, how re you going to mix this
man with that sort Of Toryism? How
are you going to wed this man with
Toryism and what sort of married
life will 1t be II the contract is signed?
It is a marriage of incompatibles, and
it is because they do not "flt" one an
other. There has been nothing but
discomfort for the last six years.
They were certainly married and be-
came the coalition, but ever since the
wedding day the Tory party has had
its eye on a divorce. Lloyd George
has been the most uncomfortable of
partners and have no doubt he has
found his partner equally uncomfort-
able. That is the reason why their
we ided life has ended
Lloyd George Is nothing If not
democratic. Democracy is in his blood
and bones. He was born in the ranks.
All his sympathies are with the people.
He has a great humanness. 1t is one
Of his choicest gifts and explains
much Of his influence. There Is moth
ing close or closed about him. He has
little or no reserve. All his doors are
open or open at the slightest tap. II
always seems as though he has been
waiting for you as you came up the
road. You call upon him casually, but
you never appear to take him by sur
prise. You never find him unpre-
pared. In this he is more American
than British. He is what Americans
call good mixer What strange com
panies you find at his table. Those
breakfast meetings at No. 10 Downing
street. His guests formed the strang-
est assortment with seemingly little
that was common among them, but
they were always drawn into fellow
ship by the magnetic power OF their
host.
A little while ago my friend w. r.
Moody of Northfields, was staying
with me and expressed strong de-
sire to meet Lloyd George. 1t was
not difficult to arrange an interview
Moody had not been with him two
minutes when Lloyd George said: 81
am not quite old enough to remember
your father, but his hymns were COM
ing into Wales when l was boy and
] used to sing them"
He then recalled two or three OF
the hymns. There is no need to say
that he already had entered my
friends life by the front door, and
they had a most enjoyable time to-
gether.
That is his way with every one.
He is geniality incarnate. His smile
is worth far more than fine gold, for
L is not a mere courteous smile, the
chilly and conventional sort, like
moonlight shimmering on cold wet
shore. His smile is full of warmth,
and 1t wins his audience before he
Begins to speak.
One Of his most extraordinary gifts
is the keen, swift power Of getting at
the heart of a thing. He does not get
there by reasoning, but by his soft,
fine, native intuition. He is not bril-
liant in logical process: he doesn't go
to his ends afoot, but on wings. Nay,
he is swtfter even than that He