OCR Text |
Show GREAT HONOR FOR b J SIR EDWARD GREY ; ; London, Feb. 13. The almost un- ; ! j ' paralleled honor which King George 3 - has bestowed on Sir Edward Grey, I (.i i the British secretary of state for for- ' ': , eign afftlrs, by nominating him to the J ; l oldest and most oxcluslve Ordor of 'iki' tno Garter 'a which only members of t .1 . royalty and a select few of the high- ' , e6t among the nobility are enrolled, . , and which many reigning sovereigns ' : covet, has created immense Interest throughout the British Islands It is j now nearlv two hundred years since 1 the garter was conferred on a com- 1? I monor under similar circumstances. Only four other commoners have been permitted to wear tho blue ribbon . during the history of tho Order of the Knights of the Garter . U The retirement of Herbert H As- . qulth from tho premiership to the - house of lords has been rumored for some time. David Lloyd-George, thq chancellor of the exchequer, and Sir I Edward Grey are supposed to be rivals ri-vals for the poBsosBion of the prime CJinister's mantle. Mr. Lloyd-George fcas figured so conspicuously before thq house as tho author of a comprehensive comprehen-sive program of social reforms that he has been considered bb the most promising candidate for the position. Sir Edward Grey represents tho conservative wing of tho Liberal party, par-ty, while Mr Lloyd-George 1b the spokesman of the opposite extreme, Tho recent outburst In opposition to Sir Edward Grey's management of foreign for-eign affairs, which has been most marked In the radical ranks, has been 1 attributed partly to tho desire of Mr. ! . Lloyd-George's followers to promote 1 i the "Welch leader's Interest. i Some of the newspapers today say t that tho conferment of the OTder of ' J tho Garter on tho secretary for for- i eign affairs givs Sir Edward Grey : such omlnence that ho could not be ' ' oxpocted to Bervo in the cabinet un- ' der Mr. Lloyd-George. r ; One question which awaits an an- ? ' ower Is whether the conformont of I ,, the Garter on Sir Edward Grov ha3 ') ' any relation to Viscount Haldaue'e i recent raleelon to Borlln Another Interesting question Is J j ijv whether it is designed as a proclama- k I tion to other nations of King George'B i j ;,- endorsoment of Elr Edward Grey or 4 '" more as a rebuke to his home office 'j critics. i E'ery one agrees that it is a tribute " ' to Sir Edward Grey's rare personal j ' character ns much as to hl3 dlnlomat-v' dlnlomat-v' Ic ability and that ho is fullv worthy ;. of the historic distinction whjch Im- y, ' piles that the king and his colleagues i In tho cabinet rank him as one of thq j foremost foreign ministers In British 5 history. |