The Washington herald., 1920-03-18
In the Li1nelight
BY George Perry Morris.


Charles F. Dutch. who was made
general solicitor Of the Shipping
Board by Mr.. Payne just as he left
office to become Secretary of the In
terror, is a Specialist in admiralty
law, whose service to the board has
been assiduous and able for several
years while other heads OF depart
| ments have como and gone. Har-
yard University Is his alma mater
ard he has taught in her law school.
His name hitherto with those of his
staff who have ventured to be
chummy has been Admiral" Now
Admiral Benson outclasses him.
When he quits the government serv-
ice he will be in demand. for he has
come up against admiralty practi-
tioners of the highest class. who,
with their clients, know a good
thing when they see 1t.
Joseph Chamberlain's marriage to
Miss Endicott, of Massachusetts,, and
his visits to this country brought
him in touch with not a few Amer
leans who were prominent in poll
tics and statecraft; and when at
home he was always eager to learn
from qualified persons what was
being thought, said and done sin
"the States" These phases of his
character make 1t quite probable
that there are not a few Americans
who can aid j. l.. Garvin to write
the authorized biography of the
ablest of nineteenth century British
'fmperialists." Mrs. Chamberlain Is
joining in a request that all persons
who have letters from her husband
or who can contribute "reminiscences
of a Characteristic" kind, send
them to Mr.. Garvin. The able,
trenchant and at times brilliant
journalist who has been chosen TO
write this biography was so inti-
masely acquainted with Mr.. Cham
berlain and knew his mind" so well
that the outcome of his selection of
documents and data and his COM
ment thereon is certain to be read
able IL also somewhat partisan.
Professor Willis NJ. West of the
University of Minnesota is being
urged by progressive" Republicans
to stand as their candidate for
governor in the coming primaries.
The call seems to be signed by rep
resentative men who believe in
woman's suffrage, in the rights of
labor. in necessary changes of or
ganic law to meet contemporary
political and Industrial needs, and
State capital with a man in it
who will sweep out parasites. Pro-
lessor West is a native of the
State; has taught in the universi-
ties of North Dakota and Mime
of hfS
Rapids, and incidentally writes
books on history. His candidacy
in way represents not only
more or less sympathy by his sun
porters with the radicalism of the
upper Mississippi Valley, but also
disposition in Minnesota to break
for a season from the control of
politics by the Scandinavian ele-
ment of the population.
Down in New Orleans the old
French Catholic element of the
population is lionizing L. Able
Louis Duerocq, a chaplain for four
years with the French forces in and
around Arras. Prior to the war he
edited La Crois d. Arras," and was
famed for his collections of art
gathered in many lands, and also
Tor his own proficiency as a musi-
cian' sculptor and painter. He is
not here to exploit himself or be
exploited, but to visit kindred. to
rest and to, quietly study our life.
The British journals comments on
Lady Astor's first speech in the
mousse of commons agrees substan-
TALLY in praise of hef fine dictton.
moral passion and ad hominem ar
gument. No circumlocutions for her
or any rhetorical devices to camou-
mage her meaning. She told the
brewers and their allies, the dis
tillers, and their parliamentary re-
tainers, just what she thought of
them and their traffic. She kept her
head and did not call for prohibi-
ton Immediately, but she made II
very clear that as long as she is In
pubic life women, children and
weak men are to have her for a
champion in the fight against "the
trade" that has so much wider So
cial, ecclesiastical and vested in
terests" ramifications in British life
than II ever had in this country.
Lady Astor, the Vfrginian pioneer
into the worlds most renowned par
Lament, seems to combine qualities
of Patrick Henry and George Wash
ington. She is terribly truthful and
SenSibly evolutionary