OCR Text |
Show BlUOBTRKFOKj WIWRTOrJ CHURCHILL British Secretary of Navy Now Persona Grata With Former Political Foes. GEORGE IS CONSISTENT Chancellor of Exchequer Will Never Cease to Sympathize Sympa-thize With Workers. By PHILLIP EVERETT. Special Cable to The Tribune. LONDON. Dee. 28. Peoplo who arc In a position to sue more than the carefully-edited carefully-edited political news in tho columns of the newspapers, and who are In close touch with the political Icaduni of the day. assert that Winston Churchill Is passing through much the same evolution as did Joseph Chamberlain. What we have known so far, to look at this transformation trans-formation from a conservative point of view. Is only Churchill the caterpillar, slowly evolving Into a glorious butterfly. In other words, the brilliant young member of tho present "Liberal cabinet has recognized the erroifl of his past and Is becoming an Imperialist of the flrjt water, who in time to come will think with disgust of rhe day when he was tho bosom friend of demagogues like Lloyd George. Klood will tell, the conservative people say, and thero Is really nothing in common com-mon between the blue-hloodcd. society man and tho chancellor of tho exchequer, the son of the people. The transformation undoubtedly began when Churchill becatne secretary of the navy. The responsibilities of his position as first lord of the admiralty rapidly changed him. Likes His Job. Tho job was one which appealed strongly to his patriotism Jind called forth all his unusual energy. From the very first his conduct as chief of the country's naval defenses won the approval even of stern Unionists, and as he simultaneously carefully abstained' from making caustic remarks ugalnst his political opponents, he steadily rose In favor with the opposition opposi-tion to such an extent that, when a rumor now says that even in case of a change In government Churchill is likely to retain re-tain ills present high position, It causes little or no surprise. Should the chango come, there Is Uttlo doubt that the Unionists could do nothing wiser than robbing the oncmv of one of tho most brilliant and piomtslng young men by retaining him as first lord. For Winston Churchill loves his position and is doing excellent work, which few. if any, of th0 Conservative leaders would bo able to iinprovo on. and to depose him might arouse the old fighting spirit within with-in him and once moro transform him into an exceedingly dangerous political adversary. adver-sary. , . . Tho remarks I have made above must not bo token to mean that the position of tho present Liberal government is ns precarious as tho Conservative press would like us to believe. No one can deny that Ascmlth. who has tho respect of enemies as well as friends. Is playing play-ing his cards very cleverly, and tho way In which tho government programme, including in-cluding home rule for Ireland, is progressing pro-gressing Is most satisfactory to all friends of true "democracy. Liberals Secure. Only an absolutely unexpected accident can upset tho government but at tho samo tlmo it cannot he said that absolute abso-lute harmony prevails In the cablnot councils. . , Tho growing unfriendliness helwoen tho chancellor of the exchequer and the firat lord of the admiralty is easily explained, ex-plained, as the dutlos of the ono Is to economize and tho other to spend. But this disharmony Ib only ono of the several insido tho government. Personally, Asqutlh and Lloyd-George arc na great friends as over and each is convinced of tho absolute honesty pf tho other, but it cannot be overlooked that tho views of tho chancellor aro several generations, as generations go In England, Eng-land, ahead of Asqulth, who In other more democratic countries, would be eonslderod a most conservative, not to tay reactionary, statesman, of qulto narrow nar-row social views. Lloyd-Gcorgo, on tho othor aide, would bo considered conservative In no country. coun-try. Ills oyrnpathlos aro far too sincerely with tho masses of thu people, irom whom ho sprang, and ho will novcr stop or look backward- Tho time, therefore, is sure to come when Aequlth. as tho older man, will canchide that he has fulfilled his duty ns he sees it and will lay flown his poll . -cal scepter. When tne day comes. Woyd-Goorgo Woyd-Goorgo wl l he ready to stop into his shoes and w II In lime uccomc iw mU-r of England, firmly resolved to carp out ? hi sreat llfoworlc of shifting the bunlcn of taxation in England from t ie fihouldora of tho weak to those who Justly ought to bear It |