Show r Lady Astor's Astor s Drink Crusade Kicks Up Big Fuss in Her Own Party and Out of It Big Fight On I II I II I By A- A AG A G T Britain's rl ln's Greatest Editor Special Cable to The Standard Standard- Standard Examiner Copyright ht 1923 LONDON March 31 Lady 31 LadY Astor always one ot of o the most mt attractive personalities in par par- parlament parliament parliament lament just lust now Is the tho center ot of a 0 raging battle Nominal Nominal- Nominally ly ty she Sits ants ts with the th conserva conserva- conservatives conservatives conservatives tives But no system stem o of party control can dominate so 80 o Imper Imperious lous ious an Individual character More often otten sh she Is In sympathy with tb the Liberal element rath- rath rather rath rather er than with her hr own con err and her courage course and In- In Indifference Indifference difference to consequenceS l Is marked Never was there thera a amore amore amore more independent ot of the house She says ays and doci whatever appeals to her sen o of Justice no matter motter who howls her down down- d Everybody likes Ilk herSom her herSome Some Somo members m laugh at her Her own party tears fears ears her But Ill respect her Her IIer gaiety or of manner and wit delight the house and her friends arc are le- le legion tion le-tion glon gion But she has thrown t own a serl- serl erl- erl eri able foble bombshell Into the ranKS o of the conservatives conser One o of the very best political fighters In public life lite her Intensive con and unconquerable good humor are ar very seriously asking each other what Is to PO no done with so troublesome an anally ally who always Is firing broadsides Into their flank The Tb question tion pow now has ha be- be become be become come ome acute since ince she has Intro Intro- Introduced Introduced Introduced and Is pressing her bill to prevent th the sale ot of o liquor to persons under It 18 Although neither Intensely religIous nora nor nol a teetotaler Lady Astor fights fight the drink evil In season an and out She bhe b wants want to abolish the tho InUre Industry But her hr party has alnas ah aha a II been Sup Sup- Supporters supporters sup supporters porters of the th brewers and dis- dis distillers dis distillers Us- Us tillers The Th alliance has boa ben been notorious for generations and an anith the bulk o of the friends come como from rom the drum dnn trade Lady Actors Astor's resourceful campaign against the wets has aroused passionate pa re resentment re- re resentment Party leaders card r-card re- re regard regard gard it as rank treachery and Ingratitude But here hr l-i l one on n woman oman ft oman who does doc not care the proverbial fIg fit Her latest attack on the brewers brought the matter to toa a 11 head It Its was s decided LEn L'Enfant L'Enfant LEn fant fant Terrible must be bo taught a lesson lemon But how The constructive con constructive con con- constructive leaders cannot re- re rebuke rebuke re rebuke buke her publicly because pop pop- popular pop POI ular opinion is on her ber side tide An attempt was made to nullify nullity the bill through the Insertion o of knowingly which would woud Ic gave ave ve the door wide wid open for tor forthe the public house keepers to young people and they could not know their age Lady Astor has announced she he s III not permit tills tits amend amend- amendment amendment amendment ment and Ill 11 fight it in the open She will w attack the th ac ae action lion tion of o the th committee when Its report is made to the th house She Sho Is certain of ot powerful support Inasmuch as public sentiment Is lined up against the wets because of ot the man man- manner manner ner er In which they have prof prof- profIteered profiteered since tince the war Lady Astor as a result of ot the th action cf e the committee now has bas b be- be become corn bi-corn come chief opponent o of the publicans in parliament and she be announces she will give them no rest This makes it an acute problem tor for th the con con con- constructive leaders to settle how howlong long they can tolerate so o for tor- formidable for formidable an opponent In their ranks The Tb tide o ot of public runs runs heavily against the thu thop government not on issue alone but also be- be because because b causo cause o of its ita failure to adopt adolt a sincere policy concerning th the Ruhr The attacks this wc week in were significant Asquith has declared that the government must face tace the Is- Is issue Is Issue sue euc o ot of endorsing Germanys Germany's proposal for an international InquirY to cover those ques- ques questions How much has paid How much can she sh pay low may she cb pay It Its In such an Inquiry all o of the tt-e facts It-facts facts would be developed This entire subject will become acute again when the Laete holidays are o over |