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8 - Two malcontents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2009

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Summary

Adams, Kerr, Harmsworth and Joseph Davies, who have all figured prominently in earlier chapters, maintained for two years the conviction that the work of the Garden Suburb was worth doing. This opinion was not shared by Waldorf Astor and David Davies, who were disgruntled because their expectations for the Prime Minister's Secretariat were not fulfilled. Both men imagined that a post in Downing Street would give them entry into the highest circles of government, where the authority of the Prime Minister, whom they expected to supply with ideas, would crush obstacles to the march of righteousness. Davies hoped thus to spur the military authorities to greater efforts in new directions, and Astor to nationalise the liquor trade. It proved beyond the power of the whole War Cabinet, let alone David Davies, to deflect the military authorities from their course, and the liquor trade remained safely in private hands. The two secretaries decided almost simultaneously in June 1917 that the Garden Suburb was worth nothing if it was not a lever to accomplish tangible change, and made moves to resign. Davies, less tactful and more energetic, was immediately successful; Astor lingered unhappily in Downing Street for a further year. The contrast between what they wanted and what they found is illuminating. While others found satisfaction and purpose in improving the quality of decisions by keeping Lloyd George informed, and in shaping to some degree the body of ideas from which he derived his thinking on current and future policy, Astor and Davies demanded attention to their views on specific decisions.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1980

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  • Two malcontents
  • John Turner
  • Book: Lloyd George's Secretariat
  • Online publication: 23 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511560989.009
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  • Two malcontents
  • John Turner
  • Book: Lloyd George's Secretariat
  • Online publication: 23 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511560989.009
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Two malcontents
  • John Turner
  • Book: Lloyd George's Secretariat
  • Online publication: 23 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511560989.009
Available formats
×