Speculation in the House of Commons once again centres on
the future of Mr. Lloyd George. The moderation of his speech in the Defence debate completely surprised supporters of the Government, who imagined that a man who could support the candidature of a member of the Socialist League at the Putney by-election must be very far on the left indeed. But from first to last in his speech of an hour and 20 minutes, he was at pains not to offend the general sense of the House, that the Foreign situation, though giving no cause for panic, was alarming, and throughout there was not a single jibe at the Govern- ment nor cheer from the Labour men who sat around him.
Those who see in every speech Mr. Lloyd George some subtle move in the political game, say that he has his eye on the young amen. They argue that he foresees that by 1937 the menace of Germany will have increased and that there will be a cry for a man to save the nation in its new peril and that Mr. Lloyd George will then come forward as the wise old statesman to lead a national government of youth.
Previous page
