Evening star., 1923-10-12
BY THE MARaUIsE DE FoNTENOY

BY THE MARQCISE DE FONTENOh
OF all the statesmen who have
been called upon to direct the des-
TIMES of the vast British Empire from
Downing street. the most typically
English in appearance. character. In
principle, prejudice, manner and mind
in undoubtedly the present premier
Stanley Baldwin. To those who know
him il Is difficult to conceive or any
thing foreign in his composition or
ancestry. Yet we now find the 1tal-
ians who describe him as "Signor
Baldovino," insisting that he is of
Tuscan origin, that Baldwin is merely
corruption of Baldovino, and that
he is descended from an Italian noble
of that name who was one of the
principal heroes in Torquato Tasso' s
immortal Jerusalem Delivered"
While Stanley Baldwin's policies
as prime minister have apparently
won the approval of the masses OF
have been less successful in convinc-
ing the members Of his own family.
For his son oliver, who on the oc-
casion of the last general election was
quite active in campaigning and can
yassing votes for him, has now de-
serted the conservative party, OF
which his father Is the chief, and,
having Joined the socialists, Is deliv-
ering public speeches in behalf OF
their cause, and has announced his
intention of standing for parliament
under their auspices. AS in the case
of SO many younger men whose po-
lItical ideas have not yet been ripened
by experience, his views are very
advanced and his public utterances
have attracted the attention OF the
foreign press, who apparently Ignore
his lack of maturity. even so WefshtS
and usually well informed a news
paper as the Paris Debats accord
Ming them editorial Importance as
coming from the son of the prime
minister of Great Britain.
Citizens of the Free State Of ireland
still retain their right OF appealing tc
King George for justice, this right
being specially preserved to them BY
section Sc of the treaty between
Great Britain and the Free State
which declares that this right shall
NOT be impaired. t. .re has beer
| ouite a lot of angry discussion abou'
| the matter, alike in ireland and Eng
| land, based on the erroneous con
| tentton that the treaty had deprived
the Free Staters Of the right to ap
J neal from their own courts to th'
1 nriyy council. Now, this right hal
| never existed, since. contrary to gen
| eral belief, the prtvy council Is no
| a tribunal of the realm or Of the
| empire, in consequence of which NJ
1 judicial appeal can be made thereto
| In the case of England, Wales, Scot
land and northern Ireland appeal:
| can be made from the decisions o.
their own supreme courts to the
house of lords, which sits at west
| minister as the highest tribunal O
the realm. There Is no other judicia
| court Of ultimate appeal.
The Free State Of Ireland, differ
ing from the Ulster, stands In tn
same position as the self-governint
domtnions Of Canada and New Zea
| land. of the commonwealth Of Au
1 RfYalla- ana VI IhC Co0li AAAASoA
| Union, and Of the Empire of India
| Appeals from their supreme courts
| 60. not to any higher tribunal or t
| the house of lords, sitting as such, bu
direct to the sovereign. whose prerog
| ative it is to see that no injustice II
done to any Of his subjects in an.
\ part of his empire. This prerogativ.
depends upon no act Of parliament
and is above the law: It is accordint
| to the constitution, part Of the con
| ceution of his ofiice," and may be sal,
to be derived from that old Roma,
| system of Jurisprudence upon whic!
| all medieval and modern law Is based
! The sovereign refers these appeal
made to his throne to a committee o
his privy council composed Of tn
most eminent Judges and turists Q
ciudes several colonial and even ma
tive Indian members. They investi
gate the appeal to the crown, civ
earrings and make their recommends
ltions to the sovereign. 1t was at on
OF these hearings that James