Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-12-15
BoIdwin's Death Ends Career
Of Most English EnqIishmon'
Forced Abdicotion
Of Edward in 1886;
Long Prime Minister
By the Associated Press

LONDON, Dec. 15.-Earl Baldwin,
30, thrice Prime Minister of Britain,
died in his sleep Saturday at his
home in Stourport, Worcestershire
IL years after he had forced Edward
VIII to renounce his throne as the
price for choosing to marry an
American divorce.
1t was Prime Minister Stanley
Baldwin and the late Cosmo Gordon
Lang, Archbishop Of Canterbury,
who told Edward that he must re-
nounce either the throne or twice
divorced Wallis Warfield Simpson.
Edward chose abdication.
1t was Prime Minister Baldwin
who, on December 10, 1896, stood be-
fore the House of Commons with
tears in his eyes and delivered the
message of abdication from Edward,
a personal friend.
Repugnant Task, He Said.
mo more grave message has ever
been received by Parliament, and no
more difficult, and I might say
more repugnant, task has ever been
imposed on Prime Minister" he
said.
Lord Baldwin recounted how he had
told Edward that he did not believe
the country would approve the mar
riage and that in choosing a queen
the people had a voice. The Prime
Minister said Edward told him he
was going to marry Mrs. Simpson
and was prepared to CO."
1--WE are not judges" Lord Baldwin
said. His Majesty has announced
his decision. He has told us what he
wants to do, and I think we must
close our ranks"
Was Typical Englishman.
George vi assembled the throne
the next day. Lord Baldwin contin-
ued as Prime Minister until the new
King was crowned on May IL, 1887,
and late that month he handed over
the government to his chancellor of
the exchequer, Neville Chamberlain.
He then became Earl Baldwin of
Bewdley and retired to his beloved
Ashley Hall at Stourport to raise
pigs" and muse by the fire over a
public career that had lasted from
1908 and a business life that began
20 years before that with a job as
day laborer in his familys wealth.
producing iron works.
Earl Baldwin, often described as
the most English of Englishmen, :"
was conservative In politics who
believed firmly in British-American
cooperation.
Political Star Waned.
Before the constitutional crisis
over King Edwards marriage plans
arose, Lord Baldwin's political star
had been waning. Revelation of
peace proposals framed, while Italy
was starting its war in Ethiopia, by
Sir Samuel Hoare, Foreign Secre-
tary, and Pierre Laval, French Pre-
mier and Foreign Minister, raised
an especial storm in December, 1885
They would have given to Italy
much Of the territory which Musso-
lini later took by force and came
when Britain and France were lead
ers of the Geneva sanctions cam
paign against ''aggressor Italy
Premier Baldwin took the blame
but Sir Samuel was forced to resign
A month later Premier Laval's cab
met fell. .:<
Another serious attack on Lord
Baldwin was headed by Sir Austen
Chamberlain in March. 1886. when
Lord Baldwin made Sir Thomas
Inskip Minister of Defense instead
of handing the post to Winston
Churchill. ,i
To repeated demands for
stronger leadership" Lord Baldwin
retorted he would decide for himself
just when it was time for him to
quit. On one occasion, when OPP
ponents were trying to force a
statement from him in commons,
he said his lips were sealed and he
could say nothing. This earned
him the nickname of "Old Sealed
Lips"
But neither in this controversy,
nor in others which had preceded it
in his years of public service, did
his opponents question Lord Bald
wins sincerity. Friends saw in him