The New York herald., 1922-04-02
Sir Philip Gibbs at Home
From Trip to u. S. Sees
England Under Pressure

moment OF election--win the political
victory. and all elections and propa-
ganda preceding them are directed to
this psychological achievement.
Fortunately the mind OF the public
is subjected to other influences be.
ycnd that of politics and press. and is
to some extent educated by its own
experience, by all sorts Of other pres
sures and conditions OF life. by certain
ideals and convictions growing within
its own consciousness, SO that IL is
able to put up some resistance to falsi-
ties of argument and twistings OF the
truth.
1t is upon the measure OF that re-
sistance that the progress of reason
depends. The political conflict in
Great Britain centers around the per-
scnality of one man-Lloyd George.
1t is question as to whether this
magician can safely be discarded by
those who use his power to control
tho forked llghtnings of the world
storm. They made a bargain with him
which was compromise between their
faith and his.
Lloyd Georges Magic Spell.
For the sake OF Lis magic spell over
the spirit Of the people they did many
things they hated doing in Ireland, and
left undone many things they desired
TO do in India. In Russia and in their
own country with labor. 1t was the
Unionist party. the old Tory party.
which made this bargain. And in re-
turn the magician swallowed some OF
his own creed, his own radical fire,
and, playing to the Liberal party like
the pied piper, drew them after him
into a coalition where they also had to
do a good deal of swallowing of an
cient ideals and principles belonging to
their former faith.
Only a few independent Liberals. led
by Mr.. Asquith. the Prime Minister
who had been cast overheard when the
magician had been put In command of
the ship. remained loyal on an isolated
raft to the faith of their fathers. which
they proclaimed while the waves rolled
by. The coalition worked well during
the war, when party politics and all
other differences of temperament and
ideals were overwhelmed by the i'm
mensc necessities of that struggle of
life and death. 1t held together in
spite of many strains when the estab-
lishment of peace was being settled.
The magician. like a little Mephis-
topheles, was still necessary because
only he seemed able TO control the
raging tide OF world passion. But now
when the tides have abated somewhat
the need of Lloyd Georges particular
and peculiar magic does not seem ab-
solute. And the old differences of tenn
permanent and purpose between those
who made the bargain of compromise
have become scute again and intoler-
able.
That compromise was only possible
under pressure of immense national
danger. 1t was utterly unnatural IN
the history and character OF the Brit
ish people, who have never suffered
with long patience the coalition OF OPP
posite policies, who like strong govern
ment and strong opposition, who hate
a Parliament which is utterly SUD
servient, as all coalitions must be, to
the secret compromise of the Cabinet.
Unionists Would Dismiss Pilot.
The Upionist party thinks itself
strong enough TO discharge its Liberal
magician, to free itself from his lib
cralizine tendencies. TO cut this weak
ness-as it seems to them-out of the
body OF the political purpose. But they
are not quite certain even yet They
are still afraid OF his magic, which
may strike them dead il they act too
hurriedly. For they are little men
without magic. on the other hand
Lloyd George himself is not sure that
he still wields the same old spells over
the public mind. He is not certain
that when he calls up forked light