Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24


ment, and yet his chances were never bet
ter fo- becoming premier. the highest Of
fee within the gift of the English people
the place most nearly corresponding TO that
OF President of the United States.
l say the ''best-hated.' but that doesn't
mean the most unpopular by any means
Mr.. Chamberlain's antithesis, Lord I,ans-
downe the urbane, naughty and tradition
loving secretary OF state for war, holds that
unlucky distinction, or at least did hold IL
till Cronje surrendered. To be futile in tine
of need is to be unpopular: but to be DOW
erful and vigorous and ambitious and bold
Is to be both hated and admired.
As He Is Today.
This keen, resourceful Mr. Chamberlain.
who has made such mark in English his
tory and is likely to add 10 that mark, is
siXty-four wears old, but until his war be-
gan to go against him he did not look a
day over fifty Even now he steps as
jauntily as ever out of his hanson at the
private entrance to the house of commons
orchid in buttonhole. monocle at nye, smart
~ dressed, high instep. and with a conf
dent smile; but after long session in the
depressing atmosphere of the house. you
can discern even from the visitors ga
lery heavy lines running from the inner
corners of his eyes diagoually across his
face: he sinks down wea rily on the Gather
covered bench. and his sharp ewes close
while some orator on the opposition side Of
the house is politely calling him names and
telling the press gallery and the country
at large that the right honorable member
from Birmingham West is u villain of the
deepest dye.
You might think Mr. Chamberlain was
asleep, and every one of his sixty-foUr
years old at that: but let the opposition
member touch on some statement that
would really count for something and The
right honorable gentleman is suddenly dis
covered to be very much awake and Young
again He sits up smartIy and shoots a
sL.fff .tr,
mat usually scores a point the government
supporters say. Hear. hear" and Mr.
Chamberlain shuts his eyes and grows old
again.
The war is telling on him heavily in spite
of his buoyance, for he hates exercise, and
works almost increasingly either at the
colonial office or at his lovely home, High
pury, IN Birmingham. and probably plans
and schemes o nights. He intends To be
premier, and so far as known, he always
gets what he goes for
Saved the Situation,
When parliament opened a few weeks
ago things locked bad for Mr. Chamberlain.
Sir Wilfred Lawson said in L public speech
that Mr.. Chamberlain deserved to be put
in Jail quite as much as DIR. Jameson had
for making raid on the Transvaal on 4
smaller scale. The war office had bunglc.
and the colonial secretary was blamed for
that, too. because il the colonial secretary
had not gone TO war, the war Office would
rot have had chance to bungie Rut Two
weeks after parliament had opened MIR.
Chamberlain got up che night. put a little
piece of paper in front of him with q few
notes on it. and, in his cain, clear voice.
sailed into his critics. 1t was a strong
adroit and audacious speech. in which he
defended the government and himself so
well that he saved the situation. 4 boom
for the premiership was started then for
Lord Salisbury is so Old and so tired of
political life that he only awaits an oppor-
tunity for stepping DOWN and out If he
does it before England gets over the need
of strong and daring man at the helm
Mr.. Chamberlain has a coed chance for the
piace-hated though he is in the conserva-
tive party-because there is no one else
available who fills the bill
In High Favor.
1t is safe to say that the colonial secre-
tary has strong supporter in the Prince Of
Wales, who, according to general gossi-
was responsible for calling off The 800
cation of the JanleSc1i ,,.,,tIa A.
Chamberlain bes I'D to bear ali Of the.
" lat peculiar proceeding The
81 seems to be rather fond of the Birm-
ingham politician, and she has shown par
tcular attention TO Mrs. Chamberlain. who
as you know. is the daughter Of W. c. Endi-
colt, formerly Secretary of War in the
United States cabinet. Mrs. Chamberlain
does not care much for smart society, how
ever, though she looks well after her hus-
bands political interests by making his
friends thrice welcome at their home in
Birmingham.
Mr.. Chamberlain has been three times
married, and his heir, Austen Chamberlain.
is his son by his second wife. The younger
Chamberlain is now thirty-seven wears a
monocle like his father, is a member OF
parliament and is civil lord of the admir-
atty, thanks to his fathers political pull
Finally. Mr.. Chamberlain is the greatest
admirer of the United States in the present
English government. He has persistently
doomed the idea of an Anglo A merican ALL
ance and got himself into trouble not long
ago by speaking of ii in pubic as If IL were
an accomplished fact, thereby calling forth
prompt denial from the United States
government, and consequently getting him.
self much criticised.
MARSHALL LORD.
Mr. Dopps-sNrs Donns vour nam froop