New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-16
London Clubs
THE OTHER TROUBLES IN OTHER

Copyright, 1918. by G W smslley)


as l was afterward told, that my let
tiers to The Tribune were unfriendly TO
England and the English.
Mr.. Bright took the vote as per-
sonal affront and resolved TO resign.
He was always capable Of splendid in
dignation Mr. Forster took the same
view. The resignation of two such
members might probably have broken
up the club. for they were then in the
plenitude OF their fame and power, and
probably a majority Of the club would
have followed them. There was talk OF
a general meeting. AZ which the de-
cision of the committee was TO be re-
versed or the committee invited 10 re-
sign. begged Mr. Bright and Mr..
Forster % do nothing II ! suffered
any dscredit AT the hands of the COM
mittee what was that in comparison
with the honor Of being proposed by
those two men? Their friends were all
against their resigna ton. / believe the
committee made some explanation;
probably 10 the effect that no slight
was intended 10 anybody but me. They
did not resign. No general meeting
was called. There was much talk
which came TO nothing. the COM
mittee had its way. and | was never a
member Of the Reform club.
A London club committee is. in truth
almost as arbitrary and irresponsible
IS a New York club committee Its
members are chosen for term of
years. They have something like alb
solute power. They are by nature con
servative. They are supposed 10 he
representatives Of the club. trustees for
| the club and its members whose in
tcrests they are 10 protect. What they
usually do is 70 take the line u least
resistance. They are for things as they
are. II an abuse has existed long
enough. Il ceases 10 be an abuse. II
becomes venerable 10y time. II is pre-
scriptiye. immemorial consecrated. An
invetcrate wrong cannot be wrong or
II would not he inveterate. remedy
IS an innovation. Jet ne stand on tho
ancient ways
such are the maXims on which ~"
club committee proceeds of ehangci
conditions il takes no account II the
clubs If London arc losing prestige and
membership Sc is their rulers who are
TO blame
4 4 social revolution has been going ou
Of which these respectable vorshippcrs
Of antiquity arc unaware. The habits
/ Of tho class from which the best clubs
are recruited are no longer what me-
were New hotels. new restaurants.
week ends motors and an tho appa
rstus Of modern life. scarce a genera
ton old. have profoundly modified Eng
ush WAYS Of living. The club which
. was necessity 10 the man about town
IS a necessity no longer. Ho lives
tr chambers He can dine al the
Ritz. he can sup - tho carton.
I Tor rather more than he would paF AT
his club. but infinitely better. Dis
taucc no longer matters. You can 80
anywhere in ten minutes or twcui'.
/ If Won cannot now ind AT your club the
Injuries which have become n".es-l-
ties. there are dozen restaurants
whore they abound. They have BE-
/ come. or are rapidly becoming. the rem
devious the clubs once were. And I'll
the restaurants YOU may have the So
cietv Of women. 50 may You. 1t is true.
at the women's clubs. like the Abe
marie. the Battle and many another.
/ but with a difference. And il is OF
mems clubs. the great majority of al.
! that ! am writing.
Amid all these tumults there are
clubs which hold their own. Brooks's
I is still what Mr.. Chamberlain IN his
Younger days called it. Il Wing temple.
The Carlton is. as it ever has been. "A
/ Tory Headquarters. The Athenaum Is
1.-THE home Of the Bishops and Of litcra-
ture. and sometimes of a Publisher. At
/ the Travellers YOU must still prove 20
the satisfaction Of the committee that
YOU have journeyed five hundred miles
from London. The STATS Of the Lon
don Embassies and Legations conSre-
/ gate as Of old at the ST James's. The
| Garrick is what its name denotes. and
much else. and so is the Turf. They
all have waiting lists. less numerous.
perhaps than formerly. but rcspecta-
bic. There are books about them, |
mean about London clubs in general,
Of which Mr. Ralph Nevills Is the lat
est and perhaps the best. There is in
deed a whole literature in which their
history is told GrllOns is what ii
was. the club of which a man said he
had rather he member than be
| Cabinet Minister. and he was both.
Likewise could be named more than
one club in a good position where the
cynical declare you may apply TO the
hall porter for membership. And there
are clubs which present plausible
face 10 the world which their members
use chiefly as restaurants and DORM.
tories. Il is a mad world. but mad or
sane. there is no reason TO suppose that
the exit of Mr.. Churchill and Mr.. Llovd
George from the Reform will make il
a reform club otherwise than In name.
Its traditions are organic G.. W. ).
HONOR CAPT. j. B. GREENHUT
condod hv War Secretarv for