New Britain herald., 1929-12-16
Lady Chamberlain Happy Again When Ship Bearing Rare Paintings
 She Borrowed Makes Port Safely
Spends Uneasy Days While Vessel Battles Terrific Storm - Won MussOlini and Stresemann Over to Request.

London, Dec 16 (Pl-Lady Austen Chamberlain, wife of the former British foreign minister, is breath Ing easy again now that the Italian treasure ship, Leonardo Da NinCi, made port safely and valuable WOrI>s of art of old masters are repOsing in the basement of the royal academy to await hanging at the great exhi- bition which will open January l
 Lady Chamberlain, who is chair man of the exhibition and who was responsible for Premier Mussolim giving his ConsaTt to move the famous Italian primitivos to London, lived through several had days while the Leonardo Da Ninci was being buffeted by the weeks tremendous gale, and while the cargo was being moved by trucks from the docks to the academy courtyard.
 Held Self Responsible
 T knew if anything happened to any of those pictures" she said, T might as well jump off London bridge, because l was the one who had asked tor them and the one who was being held responsible.'
 Lady Chamberlain is a gracious lady with soft voice and delighttul manner that has won her the title of one of England's most charming official hostesses. She said the Italian dictator, while knowing little about art was fully. aware of the importance of sending the maste' pieces northward as a grand gesture of international amity.
 He was perfectly charming,' sha said. He was terribly amused when l asked for one very fine Bot ticelli which was located in the little town of his birth. He laughed T long time at the fact that an Eng lishwoman had come all the way 70 Home to tell him what treasures his own home town held"
 Lady Chamberlain's work in try ing to persuade governments of If countries which are contributing to make the exhibition one of the finest in the history of the world was hampercd by the fact that art treas ures never before had left their homo galleries.
 Forbidden to Make Loans
 The National Gallery in London is forbidden by constitution 10 loan any of it's treasures, and consequently she was unable to promise reciprocal ton of loans of the masterpieces. All l could do was to tell Premier Mussolini, Dr. Strescmann and others that we had royal commission looking into advisablity of an act of parliament to allow lOaning at the National Gallery.
 Thank goodness, about six wees ago the commission reported favor ably. I immediately wrote 10 Berlin enclosing @ letter I had had from Dr. Stresemann shortly before his death. The German government gave it's immediate approval. sending pie lures and works of art We wanted.'
 Her ladyship's interest in art dates from her early childhood. II has been fostcred greatly by her husband who. despite a full political and public life, has devoted much of his spare time to the galleries of the world and to making of his own collection.
 When this loan exhibition first was suggested to me two years ago, she said, q told them l was glad 10 do it. realizing it would be nee essary to have the consent of the premiers, kings and presidents of the countries whose works we want cd. Of course I knew many of them personally through so many years a political wife"
 MuSsolini Agrees
 'Mussolin agreed immediately 10 loan and l gathered committee of artists and the finest art critics of England to make the selection of the masterpieces. It was Mussolini himself who suggested the flourish Of a naval tug escort.'
 The exhibition will contain bronzes, sculpture, glassware, paint fngs and other works of art. It is attracting wide international attcn- ton and art lovers everywhere are planning 10 come 10 London to see the display at one time of master pieces of the entire world.
 Lady Chamberlain is a daily visi- tor to the dark basement of the academy to sec for herself how the unpacking is progressing and con- ferring with carpenters about the most suitable places for hanging of ( oI, T