The British Veterans' Ticket of 1918

A confident and victorious David Lloyd George entered Central Hall, Westminster, on the morning of November 16, 1918. Five days earlier the Germans had agreed to an Armistice, and the “Welsh Wizard” was acclaimed by his countrymen as the architect of victory. His political coalition, formed in the dark days of December 1916, had successfully prosecuted the war; now he called together political elements of that coalition to continue in peace. There were Conservatives, Liberals, a few Labour men, and others who agreed that a peacetime coalition was best for Britain and that Lloyd George should continue as its leader. These men gathered to hear the Prime Minister announce an election for the second week of December. It was his intention, he told them, to present a unified front to the nation. He wanted the best men of each party on his side. I wish it had been possible to get every party, every section of the community united for this task — the best brains of every party. Every party has good traditions; every party has traditions which it would rather forget. (Laughter and cheers.) Let us each own up for the other party. (Renewed laughter.) I would like to see for the next four and a half years the two — the three parties together. (A voice: What about the ex-soldiers?) Ah! He surely is in, he is not a separate party; you will find that in this election. But the Prime Minister erred, for he found a party of veterans in the election

Appeal · Art · General election · George (robot · Laughter · Liberal Party · Literature · Peacetime · Political science · Politics · Prime minister · Victory · Welsh · History · Irish and British Studies · Law · World Wars: History, Literature, and Impact

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