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Last week for the first time in half a decade people talked breathlessly of the chance that David Lloyd George may "come back." Certainly the odds show that he may quite reasonably expect to hold a balance of power between Laborites and Conservatives. None knows how to exploit such a situation better than the little Welsh attorney; the only major politician who has had stamina enough really to survive the war. Last week his energy and fire easily surpassed that of any rival; and both Laborites and Conservatives were in deadly fear lest the man who won in 1918 by promising to "Hang the Kaiser!" should hornswoggle the country, outsmart everyone in post-election bar gaining, and by hook or crook achieve the Prime Ministry once more.
Power of Wales. Could the popularity and prestige of Edward of Wales be thrown on the side of any one party it would certainly tip the scale. H. R. H. gave politicians a lot to think about by his trip to the coal fields and later by declaring at a banquet attended by foremost British industrialists that unless they improve their sales methods the Empire's trade will suffer (TIME, March 4). Should he openly attempt, however, to champion any party he would be doing violence to that most cherished of British fetishes−the idea that the Throne is above politics. Thus any move by Edward of Wales to use his power, which if he seemed to use it would be power no longer, must be accomplished with most subtle guile.