It was at the time of this change that he was called "the best hated
man in England," but the Liberals welcomed him gladly, and the
National Liberal Club paid him the rare compliment of giving in
his honor a banquet. There were present two hundred members.
Up to that time this dinner was the most marked testimony to his
importance in the political world. It was about then, a year since,
that he prophesied: "Within nine months there will come such a
tide and deluge as will sweep through England and Scotland, and
completely wash out and effect a much-needed spring cleaning in
Downing Street."
When the deluge came, at Manchester, Mr. Balfour was defeated,
and Churchill was victorious, and when the new Government was
formed the tidal wave landed Churchill in the office of
Under-Secretary for the Colonies.
While this is being written the English papers say that within a
month he again will be promoted. For this young man of thirty the
only promotion remaining is a position in the Cabinet, in which
august body men of fifty are considered young.
His is a picturesque career. Of any man of his few years speaking
our language, his career is probably the most picturesque. And that
he is half an American gives all of us an excuse to pretend we
share in his successes.
CAPTAIN PHILO NORTON McGIFFIN
IN the Chinese-Japanese War the battle of the Yalu was the first
battle fought between warships of modern make, and, except on
paper, neither the men who made them nor the men who fought
them knew what the ships could do, or what they might not do.
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