The Washington herald., 1909-01-24


and football here. and now ] intend 10
give my political opinions" Burns went
/ TO jail. but was acquitted
After his life as an engineer in Africa.
where at night he read such books as
Adam Smiths Wealth Of Nations" and
after a tour Of Europe. during which he
spent all his money to study art and
poverty" he again ran foul OF the Eng
iisb police. After an unsuccessful cam
paign for seat in Parliament in 1SS5.
when Carnegie helped pay some Of his
/ expenses. ne was arrested for melting
riots in which $1,000 worth Of property
vas destroyed When he offered 70
dynamite BalfOur 10 heaven ne again
was put behind bars. Because Of his
participation in the Trafalgar Square
riots he was sent 10 prison for three
months. an experience which, he says.
added vastly TO his education.
Thousands obey Him.
Burns power over the workingmen was
realized by the British authorities at the
time Of the famous Cockers' strike. when
go men obeyed him with an absolute
loyalty. From first 10 last ne warned
them against violence. and there was
none. As member Of the London County
council he put through many memorable
reforms. as. for example. developing
Battersea as a model residential quarter
for workmen, establishing an eight-h0J:r
day in all public works. ard instit1ting
parks and clean streets In 1852 Burns
went to Parliament from Battersea-
By some Of the Laborites Burns is ac-
cUsed of having turned traitor 10 their
cause. By Victor GraysOn he has been
charged with having sold out for 2oo
pieces Of gold. referring 10 his salary as
president OF the board Of works Mr.
Burns ELECTED this diatribe by inf1uenc-
ing Premier ASquith and the cabinet 70
oppose lavish relief for the unemployed
But Burns SAYS too much governmental
aid for the idle destroys self-respect and
increases psUperiZ2riOn. He explains
that he IS more conservative than form
erly because he has learned that h can
do more for labor by working with the
government than against IL
Keir Hardie, the ScOtchuan, who went
10 Parliament Fl q flannel shirt. and who
differs from Burns in working for re-
forms through the Labor party. Of which
he is chairman. instead OF the Liberal
party. lived from his ninth 10 the twenty
third year practically underground. The
family was poverty stricken. His father
was q ship carpenter and away from
home most OF the tire. So the boy had
to so 10 work IN the mines
Studies While n Miner.
Realizing that education might get him
above ground. he learned 10 read by the
light OF his pit lamp. his mother had
taught him the alphabet. and he used 10
borrow books from every one he knew.
He learned shorthand by bIackening
part OF the walls Of the pit with MS lamp.
and there tracing the characters again
and again until be knew them. H:s
I knowledge OF stenographv aided hin in
obtaining the secTetaryship Of the miners
union. As TO salary was attached %
this position he tried writing for the
newspapers. and soon won the position
Z Of a SubeditOr on q local newspaper
Hardie constantly IS shocking C0lserva-
tive England Since gong 20 Parliament
IN 1852 he has attacked the government
in ways that have been denounced BY
the London Times as 'crrEinal' The
Times was wrought Up especially BY the
speeches OF Hardie 10 the British sub
/ jects in India, IN which he said he would
co his best 70 help India become self
governing, Ike Canada. The King IS
said 70 have regarded Hardie-s barangues
in India as seditiouS. and as having
helped incite revolutionary outbreaks
there. Hardie is not invited along with
+ the other members Of Parliament 70 the
F Kings garden parties
+ From a blaCkSmith's shop William
+ Crooks. one Of Hardie-s colleagues IN the
Labor party. worked his way up to Par
( liament When a mere child he and she
other six children Of the family were
forced to become bread winners by thu
death OF their father They became 50
destitute that the board Of guardians
ordered the family into the workhouss.
( In 1S9S. after Crooks had risen in the
world. he was made the chairman Of the
governing board Of this very same work
house.
VaiRIy Seeks Work.
In the blaeksmith's shop Crooks OBJ
tained his muscular physique. Later rs
learned the trade Of q cooper. at which
he has worked most Of his life. Shortly
after his marriage be was out OF employ
ment for eighteen months, uamping TIE
streets almost barefoot. At this time
his only child died
Crooks first became a public figure IN
being made a member Of the London
County council. He became mayor OF
Poplar in 1901. All this time he worked
as a cooper, and his wife scrubbed floors
and did her own cooking He succeeded
Lord Charles BeTesf0rd from the Con
servative district OF WOOiwich in 1913.
He made his fight on a platform advo-
eating wonlan's suffrage, q minister OF
industry in the cabinet organized work
for the unemployed. and housing Of ths
poor. His struggles have not embittered
his disposition. His speeches often are
brilliant for their wit Carnegie always
tries to hear him speak when in London
during the Parliamentary session.
Crooks once was asked how he liked
the coronation Of King Edward. and re-
Piled:
It was too bad that the King did not
auction of all those dress goods that the
nobility wore The money would have
furnished free breakfasts. dent know
how many weeks, for al England
''The English Carnegie" a Carpenter.
John Passmore Edwards. whose philan-
thropies have won him the name Of The
English Carnegie" began life as the son
Of a Cornish carpenter. He was born in
lS29. The family was so poor that the
only current literature he could afford
was the Penny Magazine from which the
boy received most Of his early education.
When twenty-three he went 10 London
with only a few shillings He entered
journalism. saved up his money. and
started the Public Good. which grew
and prOspered. Then Edwards branched
out, founded three other papers and
failed. paying only . shillings on the
pound
Nothing daUnted. he started the Eng
lish Mechanic and Building News. paid
ali his old debts. and amassed a for
tune In 1876 he bought the Echo. and
ever since has been foremost among