“He has two talents which complete his outfit. He knows how to will, and he knows how to speak.”
Finally, there is one tribute that comes from abroad to Mr. Lloyd George which certainly ought not to be omitted from this survey:
Of all British statesmen, he was, during the war, the best abused in the enemy Press.
[146] A remarkable instance of this comes to hand. Prince Kropotkin, in addressing the Moscow Conference (August 1917), told the Russian Socialists that there was more Socialism in Mr. Lloyd George’s speeches than in all their dreams.
APPENDIX A
Principal Dates in Mr. Lloyd George’s Life
| Birth of David Lloyd George | January 17, 1863. |
| Death of his father | June 7, 1864. |
| Is taken to Llanystundwy | August, 1864. |
| Enters the village school | 1869. |
| Passes Law Preliminary | 1877. |
| Enters solicitor’s office at Portmadoc | 1878. |
| Family moves to Criccieth | May 1880. |
| Visits Houses of Parliament | November 1881. |
| Speech on Egyptian War at Portmadoc | November 1882. |
| Passes Law Finals | 1884. |
| Starts practice at Criccieth | 1884. |
| Starts practice at Portmadoc | 1885. |
| Speaks at Michael Davitt’s meeting | 1886. |
| Llanfrothen case | 1888. |
| Marries Miss Maggie Owen | January 24, 1888. |
| Adopted as Liberal candidate in Carnarvon Boroughs | December 1888. |
| Elected Alderman for Carnarvonshire County Council | 1889. |
| Returned M.P. at By-election (majority, 18) | April 10, 1890. |
| Fight over Clergy Discipline Bill | 1892. |
| Second election (majority, 196) | July 8, 1892. |
| Revolt over Welsh Disestablishment Bill | 1895. |
| Third election (General Election—majority, 194) | 1895. |
| Opposes Agricultural Rating Bill | 1896. |
| Opposes Voluntary Schools Bill | 1897. |
| Opposes Tithes Bill | 1899. |
| Speaks against South African War | October 27, 1899. |
| Opposes South African War | 1900. |
| Fourth election at Carnarvon Boroughs (majority, 296) | October 6, 1900. |
| Mobbed at Birmingham | December 18, 1901. |
| Fights Education Bill | 1902. |
| Welsh Education Revolt | 1903. |
| Defies Schools Coercion Act | 1904. |
| President of the Board of Trade | 1905. |
| Fifth election at Carnarvon Boroughs (majority, 1224) | 1906. |
| Settles Railway Strike | 1907. |
| Becomes Chancellor of the Exchequer | April 12, 1908. |
| Passes Old Age Pensions Act | July 1908. |
| Visits Germany | August 1908. |
| Introduces Budget | April 29, 1909. |
| Thrown out by Lords | November, 1909. |
| Sixth election at Carnarvon Boroughs (majority, 1,078) | January 1910. |
| Passes Budget | April 28, 1910. |
| Becomes member of Party Conference | June-November 1910. |
| Seventh election at Carnarvon Boroughs (majority, 1,208) | December 1910. |
| Introduces Insurance Bill | May 4, 1911. |
| Carries Insurance Bill | December 1911. |
| Land Campaign | 1912-1913. |
| Great War opens | August 4, 1914. |
| Becomes Premier | December 1916. |
| Armistice | November 11, 1918. |
| General Election | December 14, 1918. |
| Peace Conference opens | January 18, 1919. |
| Peace ratified by Parliament | July 21st, 1919. |
| Peace ratified at Versailles | January 10, 1920. |