Evening star., 1925-03-29
Commissioner Elder
Ranks as Important
Factor for Britain
Representative in Minor
Diplomatic Way of Aus
tralian Commonwealth
Often Visits Washington.

That the American republic has q
political capital entirely distinct from
it's financial, commercial and indus
trial center is the reason that the
commissioner from the commonwealth
of Australia, Hon. James Alexander
| Mackenzie Elder and Mrs. Elder re-
side only part of the time in Wash
ington. At other times Commissioned
and Mrs. Elder reside at the Plaza, in
New York City. but they come to
Washington very frequently, have re-
tained a comfortable suite at the
Shoreham, and their arrival is al
ways the signal for brisk exchange
of amenities. Mr.. and Mrs. Elder came
to this country only three months
ago, and the term of the former is
limited to two years. though with the
privilege of renewing this very i'm
portant commission. Mr. Elder rep
resents the federal government of the
vast Australian commonwealth, and
his duties extend over a wider range
than is generally assigned to one per-
son. For he has delicate diplomatic
negotiations, as we'll as important
commercial and industrial problems
to care for. and he is, as 1t were. the
opening wedge, in the international
sense, between this republic and the
enormously important country of the
South Seas.
Melbourne is the home OF these
charming people from this far-flung
possession of the British empire. and
Mrs. Elder claims it as her birthplace
and her home in every sense of the
word. Mr.. Elder is a native of Elgin,
Scotland, but he left this home in the
north countree" in his early teens,
and he takes 1t as the happiest omen
that the ship on which he sailed. the
Oroya, was the first fast mail steam
er which weighed anchor in what was
then the insignificant Fort Melbourne.
The Australian commissioner has
seen his home city grow, as centers
of population are prone to grow in
the outposts of civilization, until to-
day it is one of the great cities of the
world. From the first he has been in
the thick Of things related TO it's
progress, and is one of the outstand
ing public men of Australia, a di-
rector in various important COM
panieS and manager of enormous
wool companies. For several years
Mr.. Elder had acted in an advisory
way and without compensation for
the commonwealth in international
business relations. He was one of
the two citizens of Melbourne who
formed its first board of trade, and
he is at present a member of the
commonwealth's board of trade and
chamber of commerce
Mr.. and Mrs. Elder have the cordial
approachable ways which so nearly
resemble the Canadian and the Amer
lean, and which are appealing in a
special way to all the officials and
business men of this Nation with
whom the former mingles in dis
! oh, III -
in the social sense. Their home in
Melbourne is an acknowledged social
center. and Mrs. Elder is considered
one of the leading hostesses of her
city. She is, however, as much en-
crossed in civic philanthropy as in
the discharge of the lighter duties
pertaining to her husbands station
All through the World War she was
the active manager of a committee
which took charge of returned sol.
diers and looked after them in every
sense, including the very important
one of seeing that they got suitable
employment when they were able tc
work or adequate medical treatmen,
until they were. Mrs Elders pc,
charitable project is the Melbourne
Children's Hospital, which is a splen.
did and well-equipped edifice sustain
ed almost entirely by voluntary con.
tributions. Since coming to this
country she has visited many similar
institutions to study the differen,
systems employed and to propose
some in use. which may prove bene.
fetal in the Melbourne hospital wher
she again takes up her work as presi-
dent of it's board.
In the official sense, the coming of
the commissioner from Australia is
an event of supreme Importance, since
it portends a closer diplomatic union
and solidified policy in many mat
(Continued on Fifth Page.)