Chapter I: Front Matter

[Cover Illustration]

THE
PRIME MINISTER

BY
HAROLD SPENDER

“Who, if he be called upon to face
Some awful moment to which Heaven has joined
Great issues, good or bad, for human kind,
Is happy as a Lover; and attired
With sudden brightness, like a Man inspired.”
The Happy Warrior.

NEW YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1920,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

F O R E W O R D

MY thanks are due for assistance in writing this book to Mr.
Lloyd George, with regard to whom I have the privilege of
drawing on the memories of twenty-seven years of unbroken
friendship; to Mrs. Lloyd George; to Mr. William George, the
Prime Minister’s only brother; to Mr. Philip Kerr and Miss
Stevenson, C.B.E., his secretaries; and to Mr. Arthur Rhys
Roberts, formerly his professional partner.

For certain chapters I owe particular thanks to Sir John
Stavridi, Consul-General of Greece and Councillor of the Greek
Legation; to Sir Hubert Llewellyn Smith, G.C.B., Permanent
Secretary of the Board of Trade; and to Mr. W. T. Layton,
C.B.E., formerly of the Ministry of Munitions.

I wish also to express my gratitude to all the other numerous
persons who have so generously helped me in this important task.

H. S.
LONDON, 1920.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I CHILDHOOD (1863-1873) 11
II SCHOOL DAYS (1873-1877) 26
III YOUTH (1877-1881) 41
IV EARLY MANHOOD (1881-1886) 51
V MARRIAGE (1886-1888) 61
VI ENTERS PARLIAMENT (1888-1891) 75
VII FIRST SKIRMISHES (1891-1892) 88
VIII PITCHED BATTLES (1892-1899) 100
IX SOUTH AFRICA (1899-1902) 114
X FOR WALES AND FOR ENGLAND (1902-1906) 128
XI A MINISTER (1906-1908) 139
XII A GERMAN TOUR (1908) 150
XIII CIVIL STRIFES (1908-1914) 161
XIV A WAR MAN (1914-1915) 172
XV EAST OR WEST? (1915) 183
XVI SERBIA (1915) 195
XVII MUNITIONS (1915) 206
XVIII THE NEW MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS 218
XIX PREMIERSHIP (1916) 231
XX THE SAVING OF ITALY 245
XXI THE VERSAILLES COUNCIL 257
XXII VICTORY 269
XXIII THE PEACE CONFERENCE 285
XXIV THE NEW WORLD 304
XXV THE MAN 319
XXVI HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS 331
XXVII THROUGH FOREIGN EYES 345