STRICKEN LEADERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1114, 29 April 1911, Page 11

STRICKEN LEADERS.

(By "Dominica.")

REMOVED FROM ACTION,

Tho event of tho week in Loudon has been Sir Edward Grey's magnificent speech in tho House of Commons during tho debate on tho Naval Estimates —a speech which, for tho first time, made tho world realise that there is a possibility of tho two greatest nations standing side by side in a determination to peaco at any cost and in all circumstances. His speech thrilled tho House in tho last hours of Monday; it thrilled tho Continents next day, and as its full significance is being understood, from all sides are coming expressions of delight, relief, and a firm confidence that Sir Edward's vision may becomo a reality. The nations have dreamed of peaco in tho distant centuries, and now they are told that never has the dream been so close at hand. This has been a most exciting fortnight in Parliament but, as if _ Fate wished to show how little individuals really count, most of tho leading actors have been off the stage. Mr. Lloyd-George has been little at tho, Houso since the opening of Parliament, and, when there, has spoken seldom, as his throat has been' troubling him. Mr. Asquith has just returned from a hurried trip to Switzerland where his youngest daughter was dangerously ill with pneumonia. It was hoped, when he and Mrs. Asquith left last week in response to a telegraphed summons, that tho Prime Minister would bo back by Monday, but not till Thursday did ho Teturn to tho House. Lord Lansdowne, whose offer of his Rembrandt picture—"Tho Mill"—to the nation at a price of a hundred thousand pounds is causing no end of discussion, has been ill, and will not for

somo time be fit for very active _ Parliamentary work, and Lord Crewo is invalided for several weeks. Great have been' the vicissitudes of tho houso of Crowe during this year. At the beginning of the year there was much rejoicing over the birth of an heir, and, a few days later, people returning from the theatre found a great crowd, gathered in front of tho carl's town house one part of wliicli was ablaze. Hastily tho mother and the tiny infant had to bo removed to the homo-of Lady Crewe's father, Lord Rosebery, while, with great difficulty, the fire was got Tinder. Lord Crewo was so excessively busy With his Parliamentary duties at the time that one was inclined to doubt whether ho could afford to give much thought to even such exciting private matters, and then suddenly ho was laid aside, and Parliament has to go on for weeks without the most over-burdened of all the Ministers. ,Probably tho cables have told you how,' at a dinner given by Lord Morlcy, Lord Crewe was attacked by giddiness, and fell, striking his head against a fender with such forco that he sustained concussion of the brain.. It was then that Mr. John Burns, another guest, came to the rescue, and, as one medical man testified, "with the skill of a surgeon and the gentleness of a woman," massaged the patient's heart steadily until regular action was restored. That was somo days ago now, and the bill-boards no longer display headlines ' relative to Lord Crowe's condition. Meantime, Lord Morlcy. is doing his work. , Sir Edward. Grey, himself, the' man whom tho civilised world is honouring to-day, has had more than his share of misfortune, and the latest blow came by the death, in South Africa, of his brother—a fearless hunter—who was attacked and seized by a lion which ho was pursuing, and worried by it while his horrified companions had to look on. They saved him alive, but he died of his wounds a few weeks ago.

In theso weeks, unlucky for leaders (and in the ill-luck must be reckoned Mr. Winston Churchill's failure to control the Houso during an unusual allnight sitting, a failure of which the Conservative papers made a great deal), less prominent politicians have come to light, and, in a recent number of tho "Daily News," Mr. T. P. O'Connor has published a "eulogistic criticism" of the way in which Sir John Simon dealt with the intricacies of the Finance Bill during the absenco of Mr. LloydGeorge, lit seemed, last year, when, at She age of thirty-seven, he was appointed Solicitor-General, and won the V.'althamstow election three times in twelve months with a growing majority, that ho had already mado his mark in public life, but, according to Mr. O'Connor, that feat was reserved for this session of Parliament, when ho proved himself as a statesman of almost first rank, and set out on a big career.

"My dear," said a thin little Brighton man to his wife, "this paper says that there is a womnn down in Devonshire who goes out and chops wood with her husband." "Well, what of it? I thirjr. she could easily do it if he is as thin as you are. I have often thought of using you to peel potatoes with."

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"So you have decided tn call in another doctor?" "I have," was the reply. "Tho absurdity of the man prescribing linseedtea and mustard plasters for people in our DositionJ."-