THE ENGLISH CRISIS

The career of David Lloyd George as a war Premier of Great Britain has been a stormy one. Founded upon the ruins of the discarded partisan system, his cabinet, a highly centralized war council representing, in theory at least, all political elements of the nation, has seen a trying period in English development. It has had to face the problems of directing a great war; it has had brought before it internal problems of social and economic reorganization; and it has had to contend with questions of race and empire whose seriousness cannot be overestimated. Under such a condition of affairs internal trouble and frequent dissatisfaction with the government's policies have only been natural. The labor question has at all times been grave. The conduct of the war has no doubt occasioned numerous scandals and no little inefficiency. Home Rule and Conscription in Ireland are at present the heated problems of the day. To condemn Lloyd George's ministry because of misinforming the English public in some detail regarding the military situation is folly. In view of what has passed, the necessity of now maintaining stable government must overshadow any minor disfavor of its policy.

Public opinion and the light of criticism are indispensable to the success of popular government. In times of war, however, they must be tempered by the incontravertible necessity of centralization of power and responsibility. America now has its powerful administration; England long ago created its war council. They both are actuated by the principle that democratic forms must be sacrificed in times of national emergency. They allow for healthy criticism, but they demand a complete freedom from petty interference and partisan dissension. In America and England there have been mistakes and many of them. Human nature is far from infallible, as are political bodies. But the errors of centralization are in no way comparable to those of partisanship. Lloyd George stands as a great figure who has led his country well. His principles are sound and his results as good as can at this time be expected. To change horses in midstream is in any case poor policy. At such a crisis in the war, Englishmen are obligated to take no steps which may interfere with its successful prosecution.