WHISPERING GALLERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 9

WHISPERING GALLERY.

PICTURES OF POLITICIANS, j DIPLOMATIST'S REVELATIONS. j ROYALTY'S CHARACTERISTICS. | _____ i (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, November 18. Amazingly outspoken pen pictures of political figures in the World War are j contained in a book entitled "Whisper-' ing Gallery" by an anonymous diplo- \ iniatist who is reputed to be a man of European reputation. ', If accurately described, the scene at j (10, Downing Street early in 1916, goes far to explain the impotence of Britain in the early years of the war. It describes Mr. Asquith, Mr. Lloyd George, and other members of the Cabinet discussing the war. "I am expecting great news to-night," said Mr. Asquith. | "You always are, but it never comes," ' ! retorts Mr. Lloyd George. A faint |"Hush,'" from Earl Grey, then Mr. I Asquith continued: "Sir Douglas Haig |is confident things are moving at last." I "Probably they are, only backwards," . said the irrepressible Welshman. "That's ' jthe crouch before the spring," went on i Asquith. "Don't believe it," said Lloyd George. "People think we are winning because we have Kitchener, it's always Kitchener there." I J There was a pause during which Mr. j I Asquith helped himself to a glass of I i port, then said slowly: "You speak bitjterly, are you jealous of Kitchener? I j think he is a big man." "Six feet two and a-half," came the ready retort from . I Lloyd George. | Mr. Asquith proceeded: "Northcliffe j suggested Kitchener for the job." | "Northcliffe now thinks him a back number." retorted Lloyd George. "What's Northcliffe's latest game?" inI terposed Mr. Winston Churchill. HEATED WORDS. "Ask Lloyd George," said Asquith, • amid general. laughter, which made j Lloyd George jump up and march to the j fireplace saying, "If you say that again, Asquith, I'll lose my temper." I "I wish you two wouldn't quarrel," I said Churchill, drawing the retort from | Lloyd George: "I never quarrel, but I j am sick of this damned shilly-shallying." "Would you like to take the job on ?" I asked Churchill quietly. "Of course, l| would," cried Lloyd George without hesi-) tation; then, realising his error, asked: j "What job were you referring to?" "The Premiership," said Churchill. "Oh, that," replied Lloyd George, "I was thinking of something else." Nobody else spoke. KING GEORGE. Another curious pen picture fs that of King George. The "Anonymous Diplomatist" says few men could have I been so appalled at the prospect of kingship. For years it lay like a shadow upon his life. Hardly a soul outside of his immediate circle knew the bitterness of the struggle while he fought the blighting menace. The death of the Duke of Clarence meant the death of his best hopes, which included a trout stream, a wood, a select library and a few friends. Except for occasional bouts of indigestion his life was pleasant till 1891. Then came the crash of his brother's death and the fight against his inherited yearning for privacy. He once Baid: "1 can never be as popular as father was, I haven't the right temperament," adding wistfully, "but my son makes up my deficiencies." The King likes talking to authors, and really dislikes horse racing. PRINCE AND DUKE. The writer considers that there were never two brothers less i alike than the Prince of Wales ' and the Duke of York. The curious temperament of the Prince of Wales expresses itself in many directions, particularly his unquenchable eagerness to talk to everybody he meets, be he dustman or duke. His friends address! him as they like. "Old bean" and "Old I sport" are common phrases in his circle. The Duke of York has never flufl" himself into the stream of life. He pre" ] fers to remain on the bank and peer critically into the depths. He is strangely unreceptive and dead to any sense of popular feeling. In a war he would make a good staff officer but a bad i messmate, whereas his brother has been l a poor staff officer but a good messmate, j