Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1944. LLOYD GEORGE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1944, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1944. LLOYD GEORGE.

qpi-iE announcement, that, Mr. David Lloyd George, the “Father” of the House of Commons, is to retire from Parliament at the next general elections, which are expected to be held in Britain next year, brings to a close one of the most interesting careers in public life. Mr. Lloyd George has not been prominent of late years, but he made history as Britain’s Prime Minister in 1916-18, taking over from Mr. Asquith at a critical time. He was the “Churchill” of his period, receiving similar national eulogies for his services, being compared with Pitt and other earlier notables. To-day’s generation scarcely knows him, which emphasises how ephemeral is fame. ’Will Mr. Churchill be similarly forgotten by 1970? Born in Manchester in 1863, Mr. Lloyd George was the son of a Unitarian schoolmaster, and had few advantages to help him when starting a career. He became a solicitor, and was always zealous for Welsh rights. Elected to Parliament in 1890, he has since represented Carnarvon boroughs, his majorities, when he was opposed, being substantial. He was very Radical in his opinions, and he came into prominence when he led the agitation in Wales against the Education Act. He was given office in Liberal Cabinets, and as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he. enraged the Tories by his 1909 budget. This was not the first time he was unpopular, as during the South African War he was held to be unduly pro-Boer. He introduced National Insurance in 1911, and from his scheme has developed to-day s system which Sir W. Beveridge declared to be the best in the Empire, when proposing his own further benefits. Mr. Lloyd George gradually shed his extreme radicalism, and when the Asquith Ministry fell, he became the head of a Coalition Government, and as a darling of the Conservatives who had previously denounced him.

Tic proved to be the type of vigorous opportunist Britain needed in those days, and in the “khaki” election following the armistice, he secured a considerable majority. In the Versailles peace conferences he was a leader and was partly responsible for the since-criticised treaty. He refused titles, but was given the Order of Merit. He has not been in Ministerial office for over 20 years, but has had considerable, if dwindling, influence behind the political scenes. His writings on the 1914-18 war, with sensational revelations, brought him a considerable fortune. One impression given by these disclosures was that every leader in the Allied services and councils made serious errors, with the exception of Mr. Lloyd George. He has been a “gentleman farmer in iecent vears, but his children have followed in father’s Parliamentary footsteps. History must be left to estimate 1. Lloyd George’s services, but he ranke high during his generation. He is the only survivor of the chief leaders m 1914-20, and has earned retirement, which, perhaps, has been unduly delayed.