Mr. Lloyd George made his first important speech after his
resignation at Leeds last Saturday. Many of his followers hoped that he would make an explicit statement of policy. They must have been deeply disappointed. As in his various wayside speeches during his journey, he committed himself to nothing except a promise to fight. What he was going to fight against was not made clear. At all events, the speech was very pug- nacious. He began with a long defence of the Coalition, declaring that it had preserved peace and re-established the nation's credit by cutting down expenses. We could once more " look the dollar in the face." As the Coalition had achieved all this the decision of the Carlton Club meeting was " a crime against the nation." The Coalition had relieved unemployment and had built houses. Next he dealt with Ireland. " We have made peace with the Irish race. . . . This is one of the things I am proudest of." The more experienced men of the Unionist Party had recognized all that had been done and how much could yet be accomplished, but Mr. Bonar Law had allowed himself to be " rushed." He himself had no personal regrets, but he did regret that the nation would suffer. He had served the country with all his might and his work had been stopped " by a West-end Club."
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