Evening star., 1923-03-24
Lord Robert Cecil Is Combination of .
Shrewd Lawyer and Strong Statesman

East Marylehuue district OF London.
in 1906. ne quickly made HE mark as
a man Of the most earnest principles
aud was generally regarded as slated
for high office until in 1909, when, as
n strict adherent 10 the policy of free
trade. like his father, the late Mar
uuiS OF Salisbury. before him. "
II ade a public profession In the mousse
of commons Of his disapproVal on the
UoliCy of fiscal reform and of partial
protection to which the chiefs Of tho
unionist party Lad committed them
solves
1t was. in a way, a memorable
scene, when in twenty-minute
liberate character he assailed tho
unionist proposed abandonment OF
free trade and its adoption of tariN
reform. in the upward sense. TheSe
was no idea then Of war or of the
necessity Of q coalition administra-
tion. 1t seemed that the only al
Tentative to Asquith's liberal cab
met was d wholly unionist ministry
and it was felt that Lord Robert, in
thus proclaining his free trade con-
victions. was virtually sacrificing his
up to then certain prospects OF hiEh
cabinet Office, on the return OF the
unionists to power.
1t was realized. moreover, that he
was sacrificing on that occasion OK
pediencv To principle sacrifice rars
in these modern dayS-and he was,
therefore, listened to with respect
from all quarters of tho house.
Though his fellow members--at any
rate. tho ma jority OF them-were not
in sympathy with his views, they
felt that they were listening to the
honest words of Il man OF strong
convictions. typical Englishman
and A worthy scion of the great and
iIlustrious house of Cecil, which has
played so largo a rolo IN the history
OF England.
Americans need not look for any
gift of humor in Lord Robert Cecil.
Any sense thereof takes, as in the
case of his father, the form of satire
and sarcasm He seldom laughs, is
not good looking. has the remarkable
stoop of the shoulders OF the late
marquis and, with his thin curved
nose, his dark hair, receding from his
pallid forehead; his grim, hawk-like
appearance, clean shaven face, glis-
tening eyes and ungatnly gestures,
presents a personality not easy to
forget. Nor has he any particular
graces of manner or of gesture. He
goes to and from his seat in the
house of commons with a kind or
dignified lurch. In moments of eS-
citement of enthusiasm he will move
his hands violently up and down, Is
If he. were using some huge sledge
hammer, and his voice will rise I'd
the verge of shrillness.
Married to Lady Eleanor Lambton,
sister of the Earl of Durham, he,
thanks to the great war; somewhat
unexpectedly achieved cabinet Office
in the Lloyd George administration as
minister of blockade, and was then
brought much into contact with
American officials. especially with
American shipping men In connec-
tion with the disputes which inevi-
tably arose on the subject of the
| construction of the term Contra
bandf His decisions were character
I lied by a sense of expediency, for
ne appreciated the fact that il was
far better to let little contraband
slip by into Germany than 10 crcate
anti British prejudice among fhe
lAmericans, who were destined to be-
come brothers-in-ar arms of the British
! in the great war.