The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-08


When, with tears In his eyes, he
stood on the floor Of Parliament
describing the horror which faced
the women and children Of the
world II negotiations with Hitler
failed, his mind must have gone
back to the days Of his own tragic
youth.
Once before, speaking ut
Leeds o. Minister Of Health,
Chamberlain had saids "One
must remember what happens
10 the family when the mother
IL taken away, and there are
young children left who never
have the care and influence
which o mother alone can exer.
else over them" Then he add
ed In o lower voice, my own
mother died In childbirth"
The death Of his mother left o
profound mark upon Neville
Chamberlain. He was 8 years
old at the time, one Of six chill.
dren ranging from 10 to 2. A
seventh child died O few hours
after Chamberlains mother and
they were buried In the same
conn.
Neville was the Oldest son Of
the second Mrs. Chamberlain, and
his father, the famous Joseph
Chamberlain Of Queen Victoria's
day, took still q third wife, this
time On American girl, Miss Mary
Endicott, daughter OF the Sec.
rotary Of War In President Cleve-
lands Cabinet.
The engagement had 10 be kept
secret for some months, as Cleve.
land was UP for reelection and
word that daughter OF one OF
his Cabinet was 10 marry the
arch.enemy OF irish Home Rule
was sure 10 have lost him the
irish American vote.
During the engagement, New
HES father wrote q letter 10
his finance which gives an In.
sight Into the Chamberlain fam
lily life. "After dinner" he
said, ~ got down one Of The
farces I wrote long time ago
and read u TO the family, who
proved . most indulgent audi
ence. Then Neville played 20
Us . Lied Of Mendelssohn's and
. part Of . Sonata BY Beetho.
ven."
Chamberlain Father
Old Joe Chamberlain was the
first middle class EnglShmail
TO dominate Britain's ruling class.
Descended from O family OF brew.
ers and ironmongers, he dictated
Empire policy for more than .
decade and when lie died he be-
queathed 10 British politics two
reactionary sons.
Old Joe himself always was con.
sidered o radical. He proposed
that England adopt q constitution
similar 10 that OF the United
States and advocated q close ur-
Outstanding with this country. He
also tried 10 replace Britain's
traditional free trade with O
policy OF imperial preference. His
sons were carefully inculcated
with the idea Of perpetuatlng the
fame and fortune OF the Empire
and with II the family fame and
fortune.
Austen Chamberlain. the eldest
son, was picked 10 follow In the
footsteps OF his father, and even.
tually served as foreign minister.
As such he followed q path diam
etrically opposite 10 his pro.der.
man brother by cenenting rcla-
lions with France. And unlike his
father, Austen snubbed the United
States by negotiating q secret
naval agreement with France,
thereby causing Calvin Coolidge
10 order Prank D. Kellogg 10 avoid
the British Isles during his trip
10 Paris In 1923 10 sign the KEEL
logg Pact.
HumdrUm Life
Neville, on the other hand, was
picked 10 preserve the family for.
tune. Politics was the last
thing his family ever expected
him 10 master.
His first training was IN tho
humdruFn role OF an accountant.
Later no spent seven years % O
virtual Robinson Crugoc on an
island OF the Bahamas, inhabited
by only three whites, where his
father conceived the idea that he
could grow sisai. The experiment
failed, and the Chamberlain FAM
lily wasted $4,000 pounds together
with seven OF the best years Of
Neville Chamborlainy life.
After this he came home TO
manufacture metal berths for
ships, For years, while his faith