Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 202

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[Page 202]

right. Personally I do not believe the wedding will ever take place, because her parents think Loughbourgh has money which he certainly wont have until Harry's death, and Loughbourgh on the other hand thinks she will have money, but as a matter of fact she has only got a very little.

[The "Australian girl" was Sheila Chisholm, who married Lord Loughborough]
Monday November 1st.
Motored up to London and attended the House of Commons to listen to the Prime Minister's statement. The House was absolutely packed, and there was a very great deal of excitement The Prime Minister has been ill for the last ten days and the habit hehas whenever he is faced with awkward questions he is unable to answer. He hasbeen bitterly attacked by the Conservative Press and even his own party seem disatisfied withhim, but he has weathered so many storms that he will probably pull through this one as well. The "Morning Post" even went so far as to: accuse him of drinking too much.

This is rather unkind. It is well known that he does drink, but it does not do him the least bite of harm and I don't think he could live and get through the work he does if he departed from his old habits. In fact what did him more good in the eyes of the country than anything, was his bold statement that he wasn't going to change his habits for this or any other war, when the King and Lord Kitchener came out with the foolish announcement that they were only going to drink water until the Germans were defeated. This abstinence has certainly not improved Kitchener's mind or his strategy, and most of the Cabinet declare he has gone to pieces. As for the King, it did not matter much one way or the other what he did, but the sole tangible result of his great resolution is his falling off his horse at the Great Review in Prance. Asquith as usual made an excellent Parliamentary speech, which quite bluffed his own side and the wretched gang, who now call them-

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