The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-09
Reform Club Disturbed
by Aftermath OF
Blackballing.
BARON DE FOREST
w AS ITS VICTIM
Wealthy Young Nobleman Is
Denied Membership in Exclu-
sive London Association-His
Friends Start Rumors of
Many Threatened Resigna-
tons, Which Are Denied.

L
London, February s.-There is prob
ably no institution in the world which
more dislikes the washing OF its dirty
linen in public than a good London
club. The members of the famous Re
form Club are accordingly very much
annoyed that family row In their
historic home should have for the past
few days been the subject of so many
paragraphs in the press.
II has all arisen out OF the very
wholesale black Hing administered to
the young Baron de Forest the Radi-
cal member of Parliament for North
Westham This enormously wealthy
member OF Parliament is the nephew
and heir of the late Baron Hirsch.
who was n good and useful friend of
the late King Edward Baron de For
est is a hereditary baron Of the Aus
trian empire, and is authorized by
I royal license to use his title in the
United Kingdom.
7 The Reform is. of course, the Liberal
and one of the great clubs of London
1t contains the aristocracy OF Liberal
ism, just as the National Liberal Club
harbors the hoi-pollot One Liberal pa
per. In trying to explain the black
balling of Baron de Forest points out
that one blackball Of ten, excludes
man from membership, and that there
still is enough of the Tory group left
in the club to destroy il as a social
expression of Liberalism"
Stories Are Absurd.
This. OF course, is absurd. The Re-
form has always been Liberal club
but at the time Of home rule it split
in 1886. Some Liberal Unionists re-
manned as members. but they were
neither powerful enough nor "unclub-
able enough TO pile up forty-nine
b g..
the sake of helping to upset the Re-
! form Clubs position as a social ex-
preston of Liberalism" The black
balling. il will also be recalled. result
ed In the designations from the club
of two prominent members OF the
Cabinet. Lloyd George the Chancellor
of the Exchequer and the father of the
national insurance bill. and Winston
Churchill the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty. and the threatened resigna-
ton of Sir Edward Grey, the Foreign
Secretary.
Whether well founded or not, there
are certain ION dts" concerning the
young baron recently which might
make his candidaturC in any club
liable 20 the most careful scrutiny.
He has the power of great wealth, but
represents a poor laboring constitu-
ency in the outskirts of London and
talks what practically amounts to So
cialism. II was at his country house
that the preliminary meetings were
held 10 formulate Lloyd Georges at
tack on the landlords policy. This
would not initiate against his condi-
dature for the Reform Club but mere
ly accounts for his being put up from
such influential quarters.
Taken With Grain of Salt.
The reports of threatened resigna-
tions on account of his rejection may
be taken with a grain of salt There
might be one or two II the trouble il
not adjusted. but they would not be
true club designations in the club"
sense. but rather an indication of the
pulling away from each other of GER
| tain elements in the Liberal paryt
Lewis Harcourt. the Colonial Sec
rotary. was one of the first mentioned
by the papers as threatening to re-
sign. nut while no one can doubt his
sincere Liberalism, his standing in the
party as a politician and in the Re
form as a member of a great club is
equally beyond question. He has TAX
en- The trouble to have il announced
that there is no ground for the state
ment that he contemplates severing
his connection with TIE club. AS
matter of club forrC. Ia England. no
supporters of a candidate are sup
posed to support him to the extent of
resigning II he Is not elected. This is
contrary 10 the DdSlC lndk eN-
cry club is a republic where all are
absolutely equal" as one of the oldest
and best known OF London clubmen
put II to-day.
King Edward Failed
1t Is well known that the late King
Edward VII. tried hts utmost to Sc
cure .he election Of several friends to
the "oyal Yacht Squadron. but failed
| often enough to convince MIN that the
attempt was useles. Sir Thomas LIP
/ ton was one OF these evertheless.
King Edward did not resign from the
/ Royal Yacht Squadron.
! II Is true. however. that King Ed
ward. the Duke Of Fife and Lord Grey
resigned from the exclusive Travellers
Club when IL blacklisted the late Cecil
Rhodes. whom King Edward supported
strongly This is what prompted King
Edward. then the Prince OF Wales. to
start the Marlborough Club.
This. however. was a peculiar case
The Travellers Club is the most ex-
elusive club in London 1t IL supposed
to be absolutely nonpoliticaL but
nevertheless IL Is well known that Mr.
Rhodes was rejected because he was
a strong supporter Of the late Charles
Stewart Parnell and home rule and
subscribed $4,000 TO the home RUE
fund. In this case King Edward had
the right 4 a clubman to say that u
naS abandoned its proper traditions.