Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-23
ENGLAND MOURNS
SUDDEN DEATH OF
v|SC0UNT BRYCE
Although Noted Statesman Was
"a Years Old, End Caused
a Shock.
HAD MOST NOTABLE CAREER

by Associated Press TO Every Evening.
London. Jan. 23.-Civilian and Of
fetal England mourned tn death Of
viscount Bryce Of Dechmont, who
passed away at Sidmouth, yesterday.
Announcement OF the death Of tho
noted statesman, author and diplomat
was unexpected. Weakness OF the
heart interviewed In his Illness and the
end came suddenly.
Niscount Bryce was IN rs eighty
fourth year. For three weeks the
venerable statesman had been staying
at Sidmouth. and up 20 the end APP
peared TO be as healthy and energetic
as Il is possible Tor man to be at
his age, but suddenly yesterday his
heart Weakened. and, according 60
those present at the end. he passed
away "as peacefully as he had lived. -
Niscount James Bryce had a long
and interesting career in the world OF
letters. politics and iurisprudencc. and.
although he was best known 20 Amerl-
cans as the author OF the American
Commonwealth mention OF that
classic work hardly reveals the many
ssdedness of the man Who held "a
dominant place In his own country as
well as In the United States. which has
been called by some EnElishmen his
adopted country
1t is certain that no Eng.ishman IN
an official capacity ever has been. re-
ceived with so great degree of hos
pitality as was Lord Bryce when he
first arrived in Washington as Am
ba ssador from the Court of 81. James
and I; is doubtful II any foreign man
OF letters over has been able 20 identi-
~ so closely himself in feeling. ap-
probation and tastes with tho life of
another nation as did Mr.. Bryce during
bis official visit 70 this country.
Elevation to the Peerage.
HIS elevation to the peerage soon
after his return TO England in 1912
testified 10 the efficient work accom-
plished in cementing tho friendship
between Great Britain end America,
although disgruntled politicians were
not lacking who accused him OF too
friendly leanings toward the United
States, and he was sometimes sneer-
ingiy referred 10 IN Parliament as
"the English Yankee" Not alone by
his official acts but by a heartsome
klnship~ with the great mass Of the
people did Niscount Bryce endear HIM
self to the populace Of this country, a
feeling of Intimacy that was increased
as the years went by and the Ambas-
sador had occasion 10 make many adj
dresses throughout the land.
Candor was the keynote OF his diplo-
macy, and he did much to dispel the
mistrust many Americans felt at that
time for foreign emissaries and the
general air OF intrigue usually con
sidered 10 be associated with the
courts abroad. Visitors found Ambas-
sador Bryce ever willing 10 discuss
freely and publicly the international
controversies that arose from time to
time TO threaten the entente between
this counry and Great Britain, and he
did it usually with such gentality.
suavity and half humorous whimsicall-
~ that the Importance OF the dispute
seemed 10 dwindle under the spell of
his personal charm.
In a speech at Wnliamstown in Au-
gust OF last year. one OF the last
which he made in this country, he
declared the world had suffered too
much FROM secret diplomacy" and
predicted the time when trickery
would vanish from statecraft. lie was
relentless in his efforts to bring in
ternational dealings into tho open.
and this was only one Of the many
ways in which he was said to have
been a man far ahead of his time. =