Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-04
PICKED FOR PREMIER
Ramsay Macdonald, N. P, Re-
rarded as a Coming Man.
COMES OF PEASANT STOCK
Advanced by Hard Work and
Genius for Politics.
PLAYS THE GAME ALWAYS
Although Leader Of Socialist Labor
Party, Is Not Too Advanced
in Socialism.
PLAYS THE GAME ALWAYS
Foreign Correspondence Q, The star.

LONDON, October IS, 1911.
Ramsay Macdonald. NJ p. who has just
resigned the secretarial duties OF the la
Dor party. is not yet forty-tive. He has
been less than six years In parliament.
but his political success is assured. He
remains leader Of the party and is re-
garded by many as the coming radical
prime minister. BY fir end and foe alike
ne Is acknowledged to have the qua tiles
OF statesman, 10 be man fit for office.
When he speaks In the house of commons
il Is with becoming gravity. and the house
listens with respect. Outside the wal of
parliament Ramsay Macdonald may
speak more strongly and warm the hearts
If the multitude with fiery inyective but
the heat is always tempered by native
caution.
The native caution. combined with q
really remarkable industry and a master
ful purpose. explains the successful ca
reer. Ramsay Macdonald has an aptitude
for politics. He set himself to become q
statesman, as others set out TO become
painters. authors and singers. The trade
Of a politi ian (call ii art or 'profes-
sion if YOU wild was TO be learned. the
ropes We're to he known. the causes of
failure 10 he avoided. the examples OF
success TO be initiated. No man in our
time has served his trade more faithfully.
Is a Typical Scotsman.
peasant folk educated in Scottish board
school, MIR Macdonald has seized every
opportunity that promised an improved
post on I'm life. and offered training and
experience in politics. He taught him
self to write. so that the monthly reviews
have for wears been open to his contribu-
tions on labor politics and his books on
Socialism are as popular with the mid
die asses such works are ever likely
to be- He taught himself to speak and
orator in demand for mass meetings,
and no less an attractive speaker at polite
gatherings where social questions We're
discussed With ima@ination. with gen.
uine sympathy for the lahoring people
with a logical mind that could give clear
ness of expression to certain social ideals
and holding a ain conception of pol Z
teal progress. Mr. Macdonald was emitted
to succeed as n speaker.
His determination that the listener snail
feel the importance of what is being said
gives Mr.. Macdonald the impressive
manner that carries conviction OF S.n-
cerity and as the main thing. after all.
for a speaker is TO secure the attention
OF his audience this talent for grave ut
terance on public questions wisely yet
literally used has done much to build
no his reputation. Humor he very SEN
sibIy avoids. The public .1islikes ii in
fatal to be thought funny if YOU wish
TO be taken seriously by the public.
Cannot Afford to Joke.
Only politicians without an ambition
for the front bench can afford to make
jokes in parliament The British political
tradition is against humor. Britons en-
JOY their comic" speakers for the relief
they give. but against intrusting them
with responsibility. There is deep-root-
cd suspicion. probably dating from Pur
tan times, that only the serious minded
can be earnest. and that sincerity goes
iii with paradox. Mr.. Macdonald, there
fore. does not joke, ard no witty saying
of his. either in parliament or on the
platform, can he quoted against him.
In the same spirit he avoids all exag-
geration in his speech and eccentricity
in his life. for man with a political
career 10 make exagge ration or eccen-
tricity is often as .sastrouS as a charac-
ter for humor No amazing indiscretions
OF language, no generous outbursts of
wrath, no hot words of youth can be
laid TO Ramsay Macdonalds charge. Still
less can any suggestion of 'oddness" in
mariners be ALLEGED. The British public
dislikes all GOODNESS" in dress and
all REGULAR views. 1t distrusts them. par
ticularly in politicians. and Ramsay Mac
donald has won, and retains, the con-
fidence OF men of all parties by his mark
ed freedom from anything unusual. He
has proved that even a socialist can q ess
and behave just like anybody else. and
that socialist opinions are really very
much the same other opinions.
The Old notion that socialists were rev.
dictionary persons bent on changing
fundamentally the existing order of So
cie'y disappears in perplexity before RAM
say MaCdonal6's clear ar ument Look
al me- sxclaims the leader of the labor
pa~ty. Il am a socialist Is there any
thing alarming about me? | believe that
probably in some future time, the land
and the in lustr es Of this country will be
owned and managed by the state. and
that il will be better 50. What is there
10 he AFRAID Of in that? ! believe that
destltutios ought not to exist, and Mr.
Balfour and MIR. Lilo d George both agree
with me | maintain that, as far as pos
s.ble, every honest man who is unem-
ployed ought To be able 10 finl work
and who is there that viii dare question
such a statement? You sec. my friends
how foolish ii is To think of socialism a.
something wild and terrible :
Not Too Far Ahead.
no..