The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-03-17
]. Austen Chamberlain,
British Statesman, Died
Yesterday AtAge OF "A
Great Political Figure
Began His Career AS
Member OF Parliament
In 1892
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Austen Chamberlain, the British
statesman, died here today, at
the age of "a. He was born Oc-
tober 10, at Birmingham, and
was the eldest son of Joseph
Chamberlain, one of the noted
British statesmen of his time, and
Harriet Kenrick Chamberlain.
In 1906 he married Ivy Muriel
Dundas, daughter Of Colonel
Henry Lawrence Dundas. They
had two sons and a daughter.
He began his political career in
1892 as Member of Parliament
for the constituency of East Wor-
cestershire, which he represented
until 1914. Then upon his IA
theirs death he was elected to his
seat from the West Birmingham
district.
After a short apprentice as a
private member he was made a
civil lord of the Admiralty, serv-
ing from 1896 to 1900, then for
two years as financial secretary
of the treasury. A short term as
postmaster general was followed
by appointment as chancellor of
the exchequer, which post he filled
from 1908 to 1906.
Great Political Figure
Thwarted twice in attaining the
ambitIon OF his political career
leadership OF the Conservative
Party IN England. Austen
Chamberlain rose to greater
heights of glory and honor as
Foreign Secretary in the second
government of Stanley Baldwin.
OF all the statesmen who de-
voted themselves to European
peace after the World War,
Chamberlain evolved the plan re-
garded as providing the greatest
degree OF security and which
eventually brought into being the
LocaPno treaties.
His plan was a sequence of a
security effort by the Assembly
OF the League of Nations which
became known as the Geneva pro-
tocol. This was discarded when
it was rejected by Great Britain
on the ground that, because OF
the extent of the British En-
pire, it would be unable to fulfill
the guarantees of security inn
posed upon it by the protocol.
On March "a, 1925, Mr.. Cham
berlain informed the British Par
lament that Great Britain would
have nothing further to do with
the wreckage of the Geneva pro-
tocol. Instead, it would seek to
build permanent peace for Europe
on another foundation mutual
pact between Germany and her
former enemies-which would
guarantee the frontier of western
Europe against change and in
which Germany would renounce
all idea OF ever going to war to
bring about alterations in her
eastern borders as they were fixed
after the war.
The British Foreign Secretary
entered into negotiations with
Aristide BRAND and DR.. Gustav
Stresemann, foreign ministers re-
spectiveIy Of France and Ger
many. In them he found SYM
pathetic proponents of his plan.
The Locarno conference then as
sembled and adopted the treaties.
In one of them Germany, France
and Belgium agreed never to
wage war upon each other, Great
Britain and Italy signing as guar
antors of the treaty. Others in
volving Germany, Poland and
! Czechoslovakia were signed to
guarantee peace on the eastern
border.
In outlining his plans, Mr..
Chamberlain also provided for the
election of Germany to member
ship in the League of Nations.
For his achievement in promot-
i ing the Locarno conference he
was honored by King George with
knighthood in the Order of the
Garter and with Charles G. Dawes,
vice-president of the United
States. shared the Nobel Peace
Prize for 1925.