The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-02-17
Mainly. About People
A Weekly News Letter
By T. P. O'CONNoR.

soul within the delicate fame. She
had I believe. a modest income. which
| helped the young energetic ambitious
, husband along: she died some years
hgo. leaving several young children.
! There Is a pathetic mcmior Of her by
her husband.
Macdonald has the combined shrewd-
ness and ardor of his race. His lau-
Euagc is cold. measured. delivered In a
cold voice, unless at intervals when
I there is hoarsc and passionate swell.
When saw him first he had massive,
outstanding head Of coal-black hair; the
hair is still there, though thinner: and 1t
; grew gray very soon in the anxieties
of public life. He is perhaps tho most
scholarly Of the members Of the Labor
+! party. writes admirably, has several
! books to his name. and is oae Of the
very best House OF Commons speakers
that live, with the exact tone OF that
place. though his opinions have always
been opposed 10 that Of the majority.
strHtegtst OF Party.
He also fell before the devastating
storm Of war passion during the recent
election for. like Snowdcn. he is too cos
mopolitan for the national passions OF
wartime: but he will como again. I
should describe Ramsay Macdonald as
the stratcEist the Labor party; eau"
tious. reticert rigilant perhaps bit
cynical with all his warm humanitar-
iansm for Labor leader. with all the
intense jcalousics that exist in the
Labor ranks-rnorc, 7 think. than in
any other party-he has had his share
of dsillusions and bctrayals from po-
litical friends His is A. striking OPP
pcarance. with the iron-gray thick hair
, very fine dark eyes the alert and strong
figure Of the Scotchman. Like so many
Of the Labor men. he never dresses IN
the black frock coat Of the middle class
Liberal. hut always in the twccds Of his
native land.
As have mentioned this question OF
costume, ! take the opportunity of in
terpolating one Of the little details Of
parliamentary life which throws q light
on the fashions of our times in London.
When first 1 entered the House of Com
mons. as I have said. every member
woe the black frock coat and the tall
hat: just a generation before me there
was even a greater survival of the old
fashions; for whenever member had
to initiate a discussion he came down
to the House In n frillcd shirt and ma
!lignant gossip suggested that whenever
tNls Quly leI1 W an lIISii iiIuioGl Hc 6oI
his loan Of the ono frilled shirt that did
duty for the whole. Irish membership
Iof the period.
Martin Broke Tradition.
An old Irish rebel named John Mar
t!n-brothcr-in-law OF John Mitchell
who was the grandfather Of the late
Mayor Of New York-nrst broke down
the tradition by wearing n low-crowned
hat The Speaker Of the period was az
Icld-fashioned and dictatorlal old gentle
man; he demonstrated with Mr.. Martin
for this departure from ancient Gus
toms but Mr.. Martin represented that a
tall hat gave him a headache and he
was allowed to keep the low-crowned
hat. 4 very wealthy Enslishman was
the next to break this rulc-Joseph
Cowcn-a millionaire brick manufac-
turer and newspaper proprietor who al
ways affected the snlemn black short
coat which Is usually worn only by tht
Inon-conformist parson and the working
man on Sundays; and this was sur
mounted by soft black hat. The
Speaker again demonstrated But
Cowen stuck to his soft hat.
Then came the big rush OF 1rishmen.
and they tramplcd on all the rules. and
the revolution was completed by the
Labor men. led by Kcir Hardie. in that
strange costume Of the collarless shirt
and the cap to which. have already al
ludedY The old Labor members like
Macdonald and Tommy Burt always
conformed. and to this day Mr.. Burt
is never seen except in a tall hat on
public occasions.
Sometimes the Labor man had t.