The Nome nugget., 1928-02-18

ed the same calm. steady bulwark of English ability and respectabil- ity. During all those trying times he scarcely raised bis voice above an even tone. Blood had never got into his eyes. even when Lloyd George split his beloved Liberal Party wide open.
 AsQuith was growing old. but he held his grip of affairs with quiet tenacity. He lived not only to see the prodigal Lloyd George return ed to the fold of orthodox Liberal ism, but to make Britain's first Labor Government possible by withdrawing Liberal support from the Conservative regime which MT. Stanley Baldwin had led to disas- ter in the general election of 1923.
 Upon Bonar Laws death Bald win had inherited large majority in the House of Commons. But Baldwin wanted mandate of his own, So he went to the voters on the issue of imperial tariffs. Lloyd George returned from his trium- phant American tour to plunge in- to the campaign under Asquith's banner. for when free trade was at stake the schism in the Liberal Party disappeared overnight. Mr. Baldwin's defeat was stunning, Conservatives retained only 2E9 of Bonar Laws 347 seats. Labor held 191, the United Liberals 159, while six Independents were re- turned
 An unprecedented political sit uation confronted Great Britain. No party had the necessary major ity to form government. Labor was knocking at the door as the second strongest party.
 With characteristic composure, Asquith met the new crisis and on January IT. 1924, he announc- ed that Liberals would support the Labor vote of no confidence in the Baldwin government, Baldwin re- signed, Labor was inducted to power and the two-century pre- cedent of England's two-party sys- tenn was destroyed. Thus at the age of 72 Nsquith met another great crisis and dealt with it with the vigorous fresh viewpoint of the youth who had entered the House of Commons 40 years be- fore.
 Asquith started life with no ad- vantages of fortune. He was born September 12. 1852 of middle class. nonconformist Yorkshire fam fly. His father died when he was eight years old and the hoy went to London to school. At school he won prize after prize. The two scholarships to Balltol College came his way. At Oxford he de- veloped as an orator, and like Lords Curzon, Grey, and Milner be- longed to the famous Oxford intel lectual clique influenced by Jowett. Young Asquith made no profession toward athletics but was more hu- man than John Morley. who never knew any physical recreation but walking. Asquith played quoits. In later life golf was his recreation.
 In 1876 Asquith was admitted to the bar, and when still almost briefless barrister. married his first wife. Helen Melland of Man. chester. Four children were born of the union. His wife died in 1891 and later he pursued and cap tured the cleverest political woman of London of that day, Miss Mar got Tennant Five children were born Of the subsequent marriage. Three died at birth.
 Asquith entered Parliament in 1886 giving up highly successful legal practice and three-quarters of his income. He was one of a few young parliamentarians to have had his maiden speech eulogized by Joseph Chamberlain, and his clear ideas, lucid style and brilliant or atory soon attracted attention from older members of the house. Short ly after his election one of his mo-