Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-11

went 10 Ine west lnQleS IN 1871
where his father had purchased a
slSal plantation. Seven years OF
hard work there brought no ma
terial reward, for the venture proved
failure, costing the older Cham
berlain S250.000.
Back in England Neville Cham
berlain interested himself in the
affairs of his native city and in 1915
became Lord Mayor of Birmingham
an office which his father had held
40 years before. He entered ma
tional politics in 1918 when he was
elected member of Parliament for
the lakewood division of Birming-
ham.
Successful as EXchequer.
He was postmaster general in 1922
paymaster general in 1923. chancel-
lor of the eXchequer l923-24, minis
ter of health 1923-29 and chancellor
of the exchequer again 193l-37.
AS chancellor of the exchequer
Chamberlain brought his early bust
ness training and acumen into good
use. He converted the great mass
Of World War loans into new issues
with lower interest rates and so
saved taxpayers huge sums, al
though he later was called upon to
get much of this back because of
the enormous cost of the country's
rearmament program.
He was in charge of the treasury
when Britain departed from the
gold standard in 1881, when the
United States followed suit in 1888
and when war debt payments were
halted. He had a hand in the
muchly criticized Ottawa empire
conference and in the succeeding ILL
starred 1888 world economic confer
ence in London.
In 1911 he married Annie We're
Cole, daughter of an army officer.
A son and a daughter were born to
them.
Had Unusual Hobbies.
Mr.. Chamberlain had some I'M
usual hobbies and, with character
istic thoroughness, made himself
something of an authority on such
subjects as birds and orchids.
Another pastime was fishing. Ha-
bitually he visited salmon streams a
few days before his annual budget
speeches as chancellor of the ex-
chequerer. He said the peace and
quiet of the sport were a great re-
lief after the weeks of hard work
and anxiety which accompanied
preparation of the government
financial program.
He suffered much from govt. This
was hereditary as his father ire
quently was attacked by the same
complaint.
Mr.. Chamberlain had an excel
lent film manner and news reel
operators were enthusiastic about
him as a subject. His manner be-
fore the camera was easy and natu-
raj. his voice recorded well and his
timing made prepared remarks
sound spontaneous.
Mother Died in Childbirth.
Only occasionally did he reveal his
innermost thoughts and feelings.
One such occasion took place in
Leeds when he officially opened a
health clinic. He said:
"One must remember what hap
pens to the family when the mother
is taken away and young children
are left who never can have the
care and influence which a mother
alone can exercise Then, in softer
tone, he added: My own mother
died in childbirth"
Hearers recalled that as minister
of health he had worked assiduously
on campaign to reduce such deaths.
In the political arena he was an
uncompromising foe, but his OPP
ponents appreciated his sincerity
and directneSs of speech. His public
addresses, both on the hustings and
in the House of Commons, were
delivered in level, hard voice. were
much to the point and based upon
almost unimpeachable logic. He once
was termed "as innocent of passion
as an iceberg"
Friends said he was loyal to the
core, to his native city, his party,
its leaders and principles and to
his friends.
Foe of Lloyd George.
He was leader of a powerful group
of die-hard tories. AS chancellor
of the exchequer he was said to
have been chiefly responsible for
vetoing the inclusion of David Lloyd
George in the national" cabinet
which Ramsay Macdonald headed
after the financial debacle of the
Labor government in August, 1881.
Later he killed all chances of
that governments adopting Lloyd
Georges new deal" scheme of re-
lieving unemployment through pub
lie works.
Mr.. Chamberlain had a sense of
humor which came out Unexpectedly
when he was introducing the 1884
budget. 1t was known that the labor
opposition had prepared a fiery out
burst based upon their belief that
cuts in the dole were not to be re-
stored.
Mr.. Chamberlain slowly expounded
his financial program and toward
the end relaxed into a rare smile
as he gleefully announced a full
restoration of the cuts in unemploy-
ment relief and, also, a reduction
in the income tax. The whole pro-
gram of the Labor party had to be
revamped.
He was an indefatigable worker
for peace. In and out of the House
of Commons he voiced his desire for
better International understandings
and he appealed to both his own
countrymen and to other nations
to discard suspicious.
But he was far from being a pacl-
Hsf la Gould a a,,aal IA MIssnli