The Liberals Mr. Lloyd George could not, of course, be
present at the Liberal Party meeting. Let us take the opportunity here of congratulating him very heartily upon the way in which, by all accounts, he has faced and overcome the dangers of his illness. Everyone must feel sympathy with him for being off the stage at such a time as this. He has been consulted throughout by Lord Reading and approved the action of the Liberal leaders. Sir Herbert Samuel made the chief speech, in which he poured scorn on the notion that the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer were the tools of financiers. Like Mr. Baldwin he repudiated the idea of a Coalition in which Liberals would sink their Liberalism. He was followed by Sir Donald Maclean, whom we are glad to see taking a place that he has fully earned in his party and his country. Mr. Asquith had no more fully trusted lieutenant in past years. He characteristically made it his chief point that the people of the country should be quickly told the whole truth, for they could then be trusted to support wise action. That is the old Liberal doctrine, and we hope that it will never be disproved. Lord Grey added the great weight of his support to the unity of the Party at this time.
