o that meeting."

There is another reflection about his home life which must occur to any
visitor to the locality. Big houses and lovely grounds lay off the
main road in the neighborhood, undoubtedly the homes of country
gentlefolk. And one may venture to surmise their attitude toward this
public firebrand who lives in their vicinity and used to be a village
boy under the care of his uncle, the shoemaker. Is he on their
visiting-list? I rather suspect not. The world must be turning
topsy-turvy for them when they allow themselves to reflect, as they
must at times, that this upstart has the entry to royal palaces and is
one of the principal advisers of the King of England. I have an idea
that something more potent than gall and wormwood is required to
express their feelings. All this before the war. What can possibly be
the attitude of mind of the local squires and lordlings now that this
man has become an international statesman, probably the most forcible
personality among that group of men who sit in conference to direct the
activities and formulate the destinies of great European nations.
Possibly I do them an injustice, and their habits of mind have changed
of late.

During the big Budget fight Lloyd George, by virtue of his official
position, had to attend occasional society functions. There was a
duchess who could not avoid shaking hands with this person, who to her
and her class was a monstrosity. After he had gone she spoke of the
encounter to a friend with surprise in her voice. "I have just met
Lloyd George," she said. "Do you know that he is really quite a nice
man?" I have the impression that neither squires nor duchesses trouble
Lloyd George very much, and that when this war is over and victory for
his country secured he will go down to Criccieth and enjoy himself
thoroughly in a golf-match with the local schoolmaster or one of the
farmers of the district.

VIII

A CHAMPION OF WAR

The psychology of a community is as mysterious and subtle as that of an
individual, and Lloyd George, despite all his so-called extravagance,
all his depredations, and all his wounding words, was by way of being
an acknowledged power in the country by the time the war with Germany
burst out of the sky. The mysterious strength of the man worked on
people against their will. Besides, there were tangible things which
had to be faced. He had settled the great railway strike, he had
passed several sweeping