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them。 Was I not altogether out of my element as an Anti…？ Weren't
there big bold qualities about these people that common men lack；
and the possibility of far more splendid dreams？ Were they really
the obstacles； might they not be rather the vehicles of the possible
new braveries of life？
2
The faults of the Imperialist movement were obvious enough。 The
conception of the Boer War had been clumsy and puerile； the costly
errors of that struggle appalling； and the subsequent campaign of
Mr。 Chamberlain for Tariff Reform seemed calculated to combine the
financial adventurers of the Empire in one vast conspiracy against
the consumer。 The cant of Imperialism was easy to learn and use； it
was speedily adopted by all sorts of base enterprises and turned to
all sorts of base ends。 But a big child is permitted big mischief；
and my mind was now continually returning to the persuasion that
after all in some development of the idea of Imperial patriotism
might be found that wide； rough； politically acceptable expression
of a constructive dream capable of sustaining a great educational
and philosophical movement such as no formula of Liberalism
supplied。 The fact that it readily took vulgar forms only witnessed
to its strong popular appeal。 Mixed in with the noisiness and
humbug of the movement there appeared a real regard for social
efficiency； a real spirit of animation and enterprise。 There
suddenly appeared in my worldI saw them first； I think； in 1908a
new sort of little boy； a most agreeable development of the
slouching； cunning； cigarette…smoking； town…bred youngster； a small
boy in a khaki hat； and with bare knees and athletic bearing；
earnestly engaged in wholesome and invigorating games up to and
occasionally a little beyond his strengththe Boy Scout。 I liked
the Boy Scout； and I find it difficult to express how much it
mattered to me； with my growing bias in favour of deliberate
national training； that Liberalism hadn't been able to produce； and
had indeed never attempted to produce； anything of this kind。
3
In those days there existed a dining club calledthere was some
lost allusion to the exorcism of party feeling in its titlethe
Pentagram Circle。 It included Bailey and Dayton and myself； Sir
Herbert Thorns； Lord Charles Kindling； Minns the poet； Gerbault the
big railway man； Lord Gane； fresh from the settlement of Framboya；
and Rumbold； who later became Home Secretary and left us。 We were
men of all parties and very various experiences； and our object was
to discuss the welfare of the Empire in a disinterested spirit。 We
dined monthly at the Mermaid in Westminster； and for a couple of
years we kept up an average attendance of ten out of fourteen。 The
dinner…time was given up to desultory conversation； and it is odd
how warm and good the social atmosphere of that little gathering
became as time went on； then over the dessert； so soon as the
waiters had swept away the crumbs and ceased to fret us； one of us
would open with perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes' exposition of
some specially prepared question； and after him we would deliver
ourselves in turn； each for three or four minutes。 When every one
present had spoken once talk became general again； and it was rare
we emerged upon Hendon Street before midnight。 Sometimes； as my
house was conveniently near； a knot of men would come home with me
and go on talking and smoking in my dining…room until two or three。
We had Fred Neal； that wild Irish journalist； among us towards the
end； and his stupendous flow of words materially prolonged our
closing discussions and made our continuance impossible。
I learned very much and very many things at those dinners； but more
particularly did I become familiarised with the habits of mind of
such men as Neal； Crupp； Gane； and the one or two other New
Imperialists who belonged to us。 They were nearly all like Bailey
Oxford men； though mostly of a younger generation； and they were all
mysteriously and inexplicably advocates of Tariff Reform； as if it
were the principal instead of at best a secondary aspect of
constructive policy。 They seemed obsessed by the idea that streams
of trade could be diverted violently so as to link the parts of the
Empire by common interests； and they were persuaded； I still think
mistakenly； that Tariff Reform would have an immense popular appeal。
They were also very keen on military organisation； and with a
curious little martinet twist in their minds that boded ill for that
side of public liberty。 So much against them。 But they were
disposed to spend money much more generously on education and
research of all sorts than our formless host of Liberals seemed
likely to do； and they were altogether more accessible than the
Young Liberals to bold； constructive ideas affecting the
universities and upper classes。 The Liberals are abjectly afraid of
the universities。 I found myself constantly falling into line with
these men in our discussions； and more and more hostile to Dayton's
sentimentalising evasions of definite schemes and Minns' trust in
such things as the 〃Spirit of our People〃 and the 〃General Trend of
Progress。〃 It wasn't that I thought them very much righter than
their opponents； I believe all definite party 〃sides〃 at any time
are bound to be about equally right and equally lop…sided； but that
I thought I could get more out of them and what was more important
to me； more out of myself if I co…operated with them。 By 1908 I had
already arrived at a point where I could be definitely considering a
transfer of my political allegiance。
These abstract questions are inseparably interwoven with my memory
of a shining long white table； and our hock bottles and burgundy
bottles； and bottles of Perrier and St。 Galmier and the disturbed
central trophy of dessert； and scattered glasses and nut…shells and
cigarette…ends and menu…cards used for memoranda。 I see old Dayton
sitting back and cocking his eye to the ceiling in a way he had
while he threw warmth into the ancient platitudes of Liberalism； and
Minns leaning forward； and a little like a cockatoo with a taste for
confidences； telling us in a hushed voice of his faith in the
Destiny of Mankind。 Thorns lounges； rolling his round face and
round eyes from speaker to speaker and sounding the visible depths
of misery whenever Neal begins。 Gerbault and Gane were given to
conversation in undertones； and Bailey pursued mysterious purposes
in lisping whispers。 It was Crupp attracted me most。 He had； as
people say； his eye on me from the beginning。 He used to speak at
me； and drifted into a custom of coming home with me very regularly
for an after…talk。
He opened his heart to me。
〃Neither of us；〃 he said； 〃are dukes； and neither of us are horny…
handed sons of toil。 We want to get hold of the handles； and to do
that； one must go where the power is； and give it just as
constructive a twist as we can。 That's MY Toryism。〃
〃Is it Kindling'sor Gerbault's？〃
〃No。 But theirs is soft； and mine's hard。 Mine will wear theirs
out。 You and I and Bailey are all after the same thing； and why
aren't we working together？〃
〃Are you a Confederate？〃 I asked suddenly。
〃That's a secret nobody tells；〃 he said。
〃What are the Confederates after？〃
〃Making aristocracy work； I suppose。 Just as； I gather； you want to
do。〃 。 。 。
The Confederates were being heard of at that time。 They were at
once attractive and repellent to me； an odd secret society whose
membership nobody knew； pledged； it was said； to impose Tariff
Reform and an ample constructive policy upon the Conservatives。 In
the press； at any rate； they had an air of deliberately organised
power。 I have no doubt the rumour of them greatly influenced my
ideas。 。