It was a characteristic speech which he made at the
annual meeting of the Liberal Council on Tuesday—solid, simple, serious and filled with good sense. Nobody who knows Lord Grey of Fallodon can doubt that what he said about Mr. Lloyd George's fund and Mr. Lloyd George's leadership was wrung from him reluctantly. He is not, however, the man to shirk what he deems a duty because it is painful. Those who thought that the split in the Liberal Party had been repaired at the General Election have discovered their mistake. It is clear that the Liberal Council, which was formed three years ago to support Lord Oxford against Mr. Lloyd George, are as resolute now as they were then in their mistrust of Mr. Lloyd George's leadership and in their refusal to approve of Mr. Lloyd George's political fund. In many ways we greatly regret the continuance of the split. It may mean that the Liberal Party is doomed, after all, to crumble into nothing. Mr. Lloyd George's reputation is very gravely assailed.
