CORRESPONDENCE.
MR. LLOYD GEORGE AND LORD NORTHCLIFFE. [To ens Eurros Of TEE " EincuToe."3
Sts,—I happened to read your correspondent's prophecy as to the possibility of a compromise breaking out between Lord Northcliffe and Mr. Lloyd George a few nights ago just before I went to sleep, and I had a very vivid dream. I dreamt that the great event had taken place, and that somebody bad brought use a sheaf of newspapers describing it. I gathered from these that the occasion of the great reconciliation was a public dinner presided over by Mr. Kennedy Jones at which both the Prime Minister and Lord Northcliffe were present. The dinner was arranged under the joint auspices of a body called " The Amal- gamated Peers," which was described as including all the Peers created by Mr. Lloyd George and the Society of " The Premier Press" Editors and "Leader "-Writers, a body of editors and "leader "-writers in the employment of Lord Northcliffe and other members of the Harmsworth family. There was a note to the reports in all the papers to the effect that it had been hoped to include at the dinner the Privy Councillors, Baronets, and Knights created by Mr. Lloyd George, but it had been found quite Impossible to accommodate so large a body of persons in one room. Accordingly an overflow tea for Privy Councillors, Baronets, and Knights was to be arranged at a later date, to be followed by " a mammoth overflow mans meet- ing of O.B.E.'s, and Companions and Members of other Minor Orders."
The proceedings at the dinner were described as "strictly private," but each of the newspapers with which I was so liberally supplied by a dream friend had "a live personal report" of the proceedings signed " A Postprandial Peer," " An Eating Editor," or some such " spicy " pseudonym.
Mr. Kennedy Jones. the Chairman, appeared to have made a very striking speech. He was described as beginning by point- ing out how useful, even necessary, it was in the human body to have two hands. One washed the other. If there was only one, the process would be much less efficient. (Great cheers.) It was generally admitted that what we needed in this dis- tressful age wee co-ordination, and plenty of it. (More cheers.) But where could you get a better example of co-ordination than when, as was now happily the case, the greatest Parliament- arian and the greatest Pressman in the world—(thunders of applause)—were co-ordinated in and around one dinner-table ? (Continued applause.) He would not deal in detail with the way in which these two great heroes of the war were able to co-operate. Any one could see this. He would, however, give one example. Suppose for any reason that the supply of the raw material used in the manufacture of Peers—(great laughter)—were in danger of giving out, Lord Northcliffe could always be relied upon at a moment's notice to find amongst his brothers or journalistic colleagues an ample supply of " the necessary." On the other hand, if good " coPy " and exciting " copy " should ever fall short, which he for one hoped and believed it never would, Mr. Lloyd George could provide it in practically inexhaustible, quantities. Such a partnership as he had just described should go far. If there was an occasional tiff, as of course there might be, for even these great men were human, what did it matter P Such tiffs, he ventured to pledge himself to that distinguished assembly, would always be fol- lowed by reooaeiliatione. As the illustrious inventor of "Puffing Billy " had said, " Wherever there was room for competition there wee room for combination "—a truth which their illustrious guests had been quick to discover. (Cries of Hear I Hear ! and spasmodic efforts to sing " For they are jolly good fellows.") Long may that happy combination, the Press and the Peerage, continue! He gave them the joint toast of "The Super-Pressed Premier and the Premier Super-Press." That was "a caption" any journalist might envy. "Gentle- men, I ask you to fill and empty your glasses to this sentiment, . ooupled with the names of Vieeonnt Northcliffe and Mr. Lloyd George."
fio far all the newspaper reports agreed, but I found that after that one set of newspapers only gave land Northcliffe's speech, with a line at the end to the effect that the Prime Minister also spoke; while another powerful group only gave their readers Mr. Lloyd George's speech, merely mentioning as it were in passing that " Lord Northcliffe was among the other speakers."
Lord Northcliffe's speech, though the occasion was the " health of the Prime Minister," appeared to be almost wholly taken up with an account of the speaker's own war record. Except for the opening sentence, I could find no allusion to Mr. Lloyd George. It began with a long lint eof the policies inyented, carried out, or suggested by him (Lord Northcliffe). Wherever British arms had been triumphant, it was contended that the plans upon which the triumph was based had been suggested by the Daily Mail, the Times, the Evening News, or "the Best of the Batch." (Prolongedoheering.) It had been the muck-abused Northcliffe Press which had constituted itself the true Thinking Department of the Government. Sometimes that department was not given tree play, and then there was failure; but in spite of that the nation owed an inoaleralable debt of gratitude to the above-named Press. The Government themselves had not been unmindful of the fact. He could if necessary produce a list of the offices which had been offered to him. He would not, however, on that occasion, weary his hearers with enumerating separately all the fourteen posts. It was enough to note that he had been obliged to refuse them au. He might, however, mention the curious fact, upon which he offered no comment, that they almost all involved residence at places extremely distant from the Beat of Government of the British Empire. His audience would be able to understand from this foot the course of action he had pursued. But though he was obliged to reject them for himself, he was occasionally able to pass some of them on to his brothers or other trustworthy politicians. In conclusion, he thanked Ids fellow-Peers and fellow-Editors for the great honour they had done him. It was one more proof that he held the confidence of the country in the hollow of his newspapers. While he. could rely upon them to maintain receptive minds, they could rely upon him to deliver the loaves and fishes. (Great cheers.)
Mr. Lloyd George's speech, curiously enough, only men- tioned Lord Northcliffe once. In the closing sentences he pro- pceed the health of Viscount Northcliffe. Otherwise the speech consisted of a very spirited defence of Mr. Lloyd George's Administration, especially in the matter of the creation of new Government Offices and new policies. Perhaps the most important of all these new Departments was the one which was least known to the public. It might be described as the "Ready for Service Department," where any Cabinet Minister or other person could be immediately fitted out with an office and a policy at the very ehorteat notice. A section of this central office had marked over its doors " War Plans While You Wait." Like all the members of that noble race which hailed from the glorious mountains of Carnarvonahire and Merioneth, he was very fond of music. Here the proceedings were temporarily interrupted by a large contingent of Welsh Peere and Editors who sang a specially adapted version of the " March of the Men of " " Shoulder press to shoulder, larger cheques and bolder.
Viscounties we sure shall see, before the day's much older."
Mr. Lloyd George, who seemed much moved by this incident, went on to say that there was ever ringing in his ears during the war the exquisite air, "The Minstrel Boy to Aleppo's gone, On the Baghdad Line you'll find him.
(Allegro con Brio)." He knew better than to sing the stale old Hun melody "Co where Deutschland waits thee." That was the last place to which our brave lade should be sent. No! No! he infinitely preferred the good old English tune, "Come where the war is cheaper," dm. If he had been able to have his own way completely, he felt sure the war would have been over a year earlier than it actually was. We might then have had the priceless consolation of seeing a Prime Minister enthroned at Muslimie„ if not even at Aleppo or Teschen. (Tumultuous cheers, led by a band of Private Secretaries and the Staff of the Kindergarten accommodated at a side table). " My Lords, Editors, and 'Leader'-Writers, I thank you from the bottom of ray heart for the way in which you have drunk my health, and listened to a plain unvarnished tale of great duties modestly performed. But before I sit down I must not forget to remind you to drink the health of Viscount North- cliffe."
As I read these last words I awoke. Time will show whether my dream was really prophetic.—I am. Sir, dm., MOUNTAINEER.
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