Evening star., 1923-12-04
Bruce Outstanding Figure
In British Colonial Rule

hors de combat for the few remaining
weeks of the great war that he owes
the very pronounced limp in his gait.
r X
Tall and square shouldered, he pre-
sents striking contrast to his pred
ecessor in the premiership of the
commonwealth. the diminutive VII
liam Hughes, who piloted the destin-
les of Australia in such a mastery
and despotic fashion from the be-
ginning of the great war until last
spring. and who. before becoming
Prime minister, had filled the cabinet
office of attorney general to the COM
monweacth during seven years. Moro
than anything else. Premier Hughes
initiated and directed the raising OF
the Australian armies for the en-
pire which played so gallant role in
the European war, and it was he who
represented the commonwealth at the
peace congress at Versailles, where
he distinguished himself by his con-
tlnual and impatient opposition OF
W oodrow Wilson, whose plans and
projects he was never weary of criti-
cIzing IN the most rasping tones, as
utterly impractiCable and as certain
TO Lad to further wars instead of to
lasting peace. Being a a.most stone
and aggressive tone of voice, so that
there was no possibility of affecting
To ignore his remarks. Very frail In
body, small of stature, q perfect mar
ryr to chronic dyspepsia, he always
hooked as if mere breath would
suffice to blow him away, and yet
there is no one in Australia in public
life who is so hard hitter. so full
of dH mamie energy and so pugnacious
as this former lite Welsh village
sChoolmaster and Australian labor
leader.
EX-Premier Hughes and his sue
cessor in the chieftainship of tho
commonwealth government. Stanley
Bruce, have all along been warm
friends and when Hughes realized
that the time had come for him To
rate temporarily. his hold upon his
Australian fellow countrymen, he
himself picked out and championed
Stanley Bruce as his successor. STAN
vantages which are denied to EXPIRE
mier Hughes. To begin with. he has
the precious gift of splendid health
and a wonderful digestion. He has
great wealth. not only through his
father. but also through his partner
ship in one of the great importing
houses of Australia. His hearing is
perfect and his manners most pleas
ing, as contrasted with the pugnacity
and aggressiveness of Hughes.
Like Hughes, he refused to accept
any titular honors from the crown,
and he declined the offer of n baron
etcy and of knighthood. The dignity
i of a privy councillor. which carries
with it the prefix of honorable, he
could not escape. For it was found
! necessary to communicate to him so
| many state secrets affecting tho well
| fare and the safety of the empire, as
a whole. that it became imperative to
/! bind him by special ties to the crown.
Wherever statesman in England
! becomes a cabinet minister, he Is. at
once made 4 member of the privy
| council, in order to render 1t possible
| to lntruSt him with state secrets and
| to bind him by the special council
oaths of secrecy the violation OF
] which is a reasonable crime. AS
| Premier Stanley Bruce was admitted.
so to speak, to the inner councilship
! Of the home government, It was
/ found well and in keeping with prec-
edent to bind him in the same way.
! Unless | am very much mistaken,
!, Stanley Bruce is the first native born
Australian to attain the Office. Of
prime minister of the commonwealth.
| an immigrant, and this connection
with the antipodean soil invests
| Stanley Bruce with an understanding
| of the Australian people and with a
/ hold on their confidence to which
no one not of antipodean birth can
ever hope to attain Stanley Bruce
| has everything, therefore, in his birth.
career, character and in appear
ance 30 please and interest the Amer
| lean people. and, under the circum-
stances, he is certain to prove sue
| cess here as a particularly welcome
visitor. :.