nts, Mr. Law felt himself unable to carry out the formal
request of the King. Then the expected happened, and the King sent for
Lloyd George, who promptly expressed his willingness to try to form a
Government, so long as he was assisted in the task by Mr. Bonar Law.
He was successful. His Cabinet, rapidly brought into being, consisted
of several Labor men, several Conservatives, some notable members of
the House of Lords, and also, quite a novel feature, some captains of
industry, whom Lloyd George took from their private businesses to run
the business departments of the state. A war council was formed,
consisting of Lloyd George himself; Mr. Arthur Henderson, the leader of
the Labor movement; Lord Curzon, and Lord Milner. (The most recent
claims to distinction of the latter two was their violent opposition to
Lloyd George's Budget and the Parliament bill.) The sum total of
arrangements was that the new Prime Minister became virtually a
dictator. He rules England to-day.

What will be his record as Prime Minister? It may be taken as a
certainty that his tenure of office will be a memorable chapter in
English history. That he will use to the utmost his natural powers in
bringing the war to a conclusion satisfactory to his country goes
without saying. I am inclined to think that there is no one who yet
realizes the lengths to which he will go in order to secure victory.
No precedent will stand in his way, no consideration of popularity or
unpopularity will deter him. That he may break himself in his attempt
is a trifle to him. I do not think he will break himself, for he has
reserves not usually found in a single personality. Obloquy may again
take the place of the praise which now encircles him. He may yet be
assailed by some of the new colleagues whom he has chosen, and the
newspapers which have supported him may turn against him. But if he
lives and preserves his health he will win the war. He is not entirely
admirable, but nothing will obliterate his powers of success but
extinction.

He has the imagination to envisage the uncountable forces at his
disposal in the British Empire, and if need be he will use these forces
to their very limits. Already he has proceeded on new lines. With
that intense practicalness which goes with his spiritual exaltation he
has appointed a grocer and a provision-dealer to control the
food-supplies of the country, has put a ship-owner at the head of the
mercantile marine