THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1922.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18687, 17 October 1922, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1922.

MR LLOYD GEORGE’S DEFENCE. The point of greatest interest in Mr Lloyd George’s speech on Saturday last at Manchester is undoubtedly that associated with the personal note, although,, his vindication of the Government’s diplomacy in the Turkish crisis is not to be disregarded. The British Government has been represented by some of its opponents as having been almost anxious for war, but Mr Lloyd George’s emphatic declaration that “We have been not warmongers, but peacemongers,” will impress itself on the mind of the nation. It should be noted that many of those who attenapt to place the blame on the British Government for the crisis almost invariably cite the Peace Treaty as the chief contributing factor. The Treaty was a compromise of a character of which probably no single nation approved in toto, and the responsibility for it is shared with the British Government by every other Government that was a party to it. Everybody now knows more about the European situation and its complexities than anybody could possibly know -when the treaty was signed, and belated political wisdom is not of the highest value. Mr Lloyd George’s point is that the Government spoke in the only language which the Turks could understand, and that the crisis was averted because the Turks did understand. In its personal aspect the speech at Manchester offered some interesting revelations. Mr Lloyd George has sometimes been portrayed as a man wholly gripped with the lust for power—as one who would sacrifice friends and pursue enemies to retain it. It would seem that this has been not only an unflattering but an unjust picture of him. “Office is a great shackle,” he declares, and no intelligent person will for a moment dispute this. Rut, after asserting he would “love freedom,” he mentioned definite instances of proposed self-effacement on his part. He has not been so greatly attracted 1 by the honour and responsibility of the Primi) Ministership as has been alleged concerning him. He has offered to serve under the Earl of Balfour, under Mr Bonar Law (on two occasions), and under Mr- Chamberlain. The recital of these offers by Mr Lloyd George bears the impress of sincerity, and will doubtless form an interesting topic of political discussion. In every case, it will be noted, Mr Lloyd George’s suggestion of his personal retirement from the head of the Administration was made to Conservative leaders, and his offers do not appear to have been accompanied by impossible conditions. In the latest proposal, that Mr Chamberlain, as the leader of the strongest section of the Coalition Party, should assume the position of Prime Minister, the conditions submitted by Mr Lloyd George were that a policy of peace should be pursued, that there, should be no reactionary legislation, and that the contract with Ireland should be honoured. It may be assumed that none of these conditions prompted Mr Chamberlain to decline the honour, but probably he recognises what Mr Lloyd George knows too well* —that to-day the Prime Ministership of Britain is certainly the most onerous and responsible post within the Empire, and possibly within the world. Mr Lloyd George’s speech at Manchester furnished strong evidence of his loyalty to those former political opponents who faithfully co-operated with him in the hours of difficulty and peril through which the nation passed. Nevertheless, lie would “welcome freedom.” One other point in Mr Lloyd George’s speech, important and illuminating, may best be put in his own words:

' It would bo interesting to watch others in (lie midst of the difficulties they think so easily soluble. I shall watch, for instance, ' how they forgive Germany her reparations, yet make Trance (love us more; ho.v wo can pay tho United States, yet forgive other countries everything they owe ii 6. I shall watch how they work the educational system, give more to the unemployed, and yet reduce taxation. These are the joys in store.

In these few sentences tho immediate danger of democracy is illustrated. Every British community is being tempted by extravagant promises of political perfection and of easy shortcuts to the millennium. They are as impossible in Great Britain as in our own dominion, and only the good sense of electors can save their countries from experiments by amateurs, glib of tongue, but bankrupt in performances —experiments which must end in failure and blank disappointment. Mr Lloyd George may not have proved by any means a perfect Prime Minister, but he at least has many great achievements to his credit, and ho may fairly claim to have successfully steered the ship of State through the most dangerous shoals that have menaced it.