Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-25
LLOYD GEORGE. MAN OF CRISES,
RENEWING LIFE AND INFLUENCE
Ex-Prime Minister, Little Wizard, Stormy Petrol of
Britain's Varying Fortunes, Becoming Domi-
nant Figure of Old.

of silver. And if the spirit of the oc.
casion gave the speaker Joy there
could be no installing the fact that
the speaker reacted upon the audience
correspondingly and in full measure.
One never listens to Lloyd George
and witnesses the popular effect of his
personality without a temptation to
essay some ANALYSIS OF his powers.
How does he usually so completely en-
chant his hearers? Stocky though he
is, he makes a good appearance, for
his big head is set squarely upon
sturdy shoulders, and there is a leo
nine touch about his gray-white hair,
which falls below his ears, and is
cropped evenly all round. His face is
fine one, in some respects almost
femininely delicate, and emotion and
intelligence play there like sunlight
upon water.
1t would be easy, as many do, to
put this mans electric influence down
to histrionics. He is an actor He is
an actor both by internal quality and
external facility. At his best, he holds
his audience, however large or mixed
in the hollow of his hand. People do
not take their eyes off him. They be-
come wholly self-forgetful. They smile
or grow serious or laugh outright as
if they were so many living puppets.
1t is a wonderful show - LLOYD
Georges nature and art acting upon
the hearts and the minds of a great
assemblage of his instructive disciples.
Only Liberalism Can Heal.
But Lloyd George, as + interpret
him, is an actor only specifically. At
the roots of his character, in my view.
he is a, statesman, a real statesman, a
man who takes to politics and state
craft out of a primal interest in and
love for his fellowmen. Here we have,
/ fancy, the true secret Of his cap
tivating and vitalizing ascendency
over millions of his compatriots. He
reminds me in turn of many things
stormy petrol, of a fighting-cock, of a
stormy petral, of a fighting-cock, of a
conjurer, of brilliant lightweight
boxer, of a dazzling acrobat. But no
such image sheds any light upon
Lloyd Georges profounder qualities,
which alone explain his long-contin-
ued and continuing political promi-
nence.
What does he say to existing con-
ditions in Great Britain?
He says they are bad, politically un-
satisfactory, economically berind- hand,
i socially clamorous for far-reaching re-
! form. Toryism, in Lloyd Georges
opinion, should go. If toryism went,
with all it means and socialism fol.
lowed it bag and baggage into the
wilderness, then Lloyd Georges build
| ing creed" of liberalism, as he reads
the crystal of current affairs, would
set to work systematically to recon
struct the British realm worthily of
! itself and of it's international status.
Liberalism would reorganize agri-
culture and manufacture, solve the
coal problem, give urban populations
| light and health, abolish poverty, for
| tify free trade, safeguard liberty and
| diminish the threat of war.
| A magnificent program?
Individually. But scarcely more mag
nificent than Lloyd Georges obvious
faith that unfettered liberalism could
carry it out.
Copyright. 1926)