The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-02-03
DEFENDED
IBY HIS SON
Unique Position Of Hon. Joseph
Chamberlain in British
Parliament.


between Russia and Japan in the far
east His comment was brief, but his
words created u profound impression.
He said:
II have watched with concern the
course of the negotiations between the
governments of Japan and Russia in
regard to their respective interests In
China and Korea, and a disturbance
of the peace in those regions could not
but have deplarable consequences.
Any assistance which my government
can usefully render toward the promo
ton Of a pacific solution will be glad
ly afforded"
Touching on the Alaska decision, the
king in his speech says that on some
points the verdict was favorable to
the British claims, and on others it
had been adverse. Much as this last
circumstance was to be deplored, it
must nevertheless be matter for con
graduation that the mlsunderstand-
ings in which ancient boundary trea
ties made in ignorance of geographical
facts are so fertile have in this ease
been finally removed from the field Of
controversy.
My right honorable friend. the
member from West Birmingham" as
Austen Chamberlain described his IA
Their. was the central figure in the
drama that marked the opening Of the
house.
No playwright could have devised "A
more curious situation. For the first
time in years Joseph Chamberlain took
his seat as private member of the
house of commons and was separated
from his former colleagues in the cab
met by the gangway. From this seat
he saw his son act as leader " the
house of commons, a position which
Joseph Chamberlain. with all his years
of parliamentary experience. never at
tanned.
Premier Balfour was laid up with in
iiuenza and therefore unable to be
present. When Austen Chamberlain
rose up to reply in behalf Of the
party of which his own father Is sup
posed to be the most powerful mem-
DtIs the IpuNt W as TltilIOhiAls uAiA
that moment Mr.. Ackers- Douglas. sec
rotary Of state for home affairs, was
generally expected to take Premier
BalfOur'S place. and interest in the
proceedings was heightened by the
fact that Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man. the Liberal leader, had just con
Cluded mercilpss satire on Austen
Chamberlain's father The situation
WAS without parallel in the recollec-
tion of the oldest politician. ana all
eyes were fixed alternately upon the
father and the son.
Joseph Chamberlain, who had sat
unmoved under the ridicule Of the Lib
eral leader. turned nervously toward
his son. who now takes precedence
of him With his monoclc in his
eye, an orchid in his buttonhole and
his hands clasped across his knees,
the most prominent figure in the Brit
ish empire sat and listened to his own
defense from the lips of his son.
Austen Chamberlain spoke haltingly
and under evident strain. vet when he
referred to his father 1t was always N
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