The Daily Alaska empire., 1937-11-10

table. It ended his dream of sci- entific career.
 In 1888 he turned to politics and for four years was secretary to Tho mas Lough, a radical candidate for parliament, receiving $375 year When he left Lough. Macdonald knew. the inside workings of the British political machinery, was a trenchant speaker and facile writer
 Then he turned to journalism joined the Independent Labor Party and the Fabian Society and became right hand man of Keir Hardie. Tn 1895 he tried for parliament on his own hook but a Southampton con- stituency gave him only s67 votes.
 Romance
 But that poll brought him TO- nance, for one of the contributors to his campaign fund was M. E, Gladstone" Investigation showed this was Margaret Ethel Gladstone, daughter of a scientist and niece of the famous Lord Kelvin. She and Macdonald were married in 1896, when he was 30.
 She was woman of wide culture, a devoted social worker. She brought her husband financial independence, a fact not generally known, and while by no means wealthy they possessed means which enabled them to spend honeymoon in the United States, where they met Jane Addams: and to tour Canada, Aus tralia, India and South Africa. The jaunts gave him a background of personal travel knowledge superior to that possessed by any other oc- cupant of No. 10 Downing street.
 Macdonald finally won his first seat in parliament in 1906. In 1910 he became parliamentary leader of his party.
 Tragedy
 Then tragedy struck him. In 1911 came the deaths of a six year old son. his mother and his wife. Mrs. Macdonald had literally worked out her life for the poor of London $ slums. Her passing left her hus- band with five children, Alistair, Ishbel Malcolm, Joan and Sheila.,
 Plunging deeper into political life, Macdonald warned against mount ing armaments and when. the crash came in 1914 took the step that dropped him into a pit of calumny. There was no election in war time England so he held his seat until 1918. Then the hang -the-Kaiser" election saw his defeat by 14.000 votes.
 He was beaten again in bye election in 1921 but by only 683 votes and the next year came turn in the tide and Macdonald and Al other laborites were sent to the House of Commons. Then in 1923 Baldwin's tariff policies forced an- other appeal to the country and the laborite delegation was increased to l9I.
 The conservatives had lost their majority and when on January 24, 1924, Macdonald moved vote of mo confidence" the combined labor and liberal votes carried it. There- upon King George summoned the Scottish pacifist to Buckingham pal ace and he formed a cabinet in which he was First Lord of the Treasury, Foreign Minister and Prime Minister.
 But eight months later his con- ciliatory policy toward Russia and his governments leniency with world war offenders alienated the liberals and parliament was dis solved. The election returned the conservatives to power and there they stayed until June 1929.
 Goes Travelling
 Tn the interludes of parliament Macdonald resumed his travelling. In 1927, accompanied by his daugh- ter Ishbel, he visited the United States, fell ill and for week hov- cred between life and death in a Philadelphia hospital.
 The next election came in May, 1929, and labor won all along the line. The party lacked only Is seats