Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1921. THE TWO CHAMBERLAINS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLII, Issue 9372, 29 October 1921, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1921. THE TWO CHAMBERLAINS.

The name of Chamberlain is associated with some luminous pages m British political history. First we had,- back m the 'eighties, the violent and demagogic Radical, the great Joseph Chamberlain, who afterwards "crossed the floor of the House" and became the champion of the Tories, the staunch advocate of Protection. Now we have his eldest son, Mr. Austen Chamberlain, who has held important Imperial positions, including latterly that of Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is chiefly with Mr; Austen Chamberlain that we propose to deal. One would naturally look to find m him some of the same masterful vigour which was characteristic of his father m his business and political life, but this is the quality m which he is deficient. Mr. Austen Chamberlain has made the mistake of being merely imitative. And m politics, as m art, imitation is a snare. It is at once easy and fatal. The world demands originals, not copies; it demands them because it needs them, because it cannot remain fresh and vital without the individuality and energy that imitation canriot give. "To equal a predecessor," says Chamfort, "one must have twice his merits." Mr. Austen .Chamberlain is not twice as good as his father. ' It has been said that he is only the pale shadow of his father. He has, it is true, some of his externals, but they are curiously softened. In the House of Commons you could not escape the hypnotism of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain's presence. It pervaded the Chamber. The glance of that ruthless eye was like a sword-thrust. It seemed to search "out its enemies and Leave them dead. The challenging nose, the sharp features, the swing of. the long arms, the sibilant intensity of his utterance— everything about him attracted you, perhaps filled you with fear. But no one ever feared Mr. Austen Chamberlain. His temperament is as remote from that of his father as any temperament

could ■ /be . Nature lias made him an amiable gentleman , considerate of i the feelings of others, entirely \ without venom, honourable and veracious m intention, anxious above alt not to stoop below '.a certain level of "good form" and decorum. But he has lived ini'the shades of £is father's vigorous life, he is the victim of a fatal and while filial piety and a spirit v ~of obedience .are good things, m Mr. Austen Chamberlain's cas* they have not been sufficient' -to make him the leader of^nen.as was his father. T]ie outliaes-^physical as well as otherwise— rare; there, but there is ,no vigour sf oblour, not the same force of expression/not the same ,po.wer m cheating nor modelling. Sir. Joseph tChsSmberlain's words cut like a whip; his anger had sometimes the effect ot physical shock ; his monocle could be as terrifjidng as the eye of Polyphemus. The elder man i penetrated his utterances with | real passion. l]he younger tries ' ito do the same, "but does not succeed. When /Mr. -ToseiVh Chamisferlain said ; mat Mx. Dillon was "& good judge of traitors," he stwng his opponent* a§ though he haii hit them across the face with a wiUip. But when Mr. Austen Chamberlain says some person or persons are traitors nobody seems very disturbed. He pumps up his indignation with evident labour ai a duty that has to be done, but there is no joy m him to give tfce blows he gives and no distresi to those who receive them. Not ihat he is negligible as a debater- He has untiring industry and kas probably worked harder than, my politician of his time to improve, his talents. Nature gave Mr. Austen Chamberlain a good intellectual equipment, a mind clear and honest, but slow and an utterance that ■keeps pace,. with his thoughts. ! His abilities, though sedulously cultivated, are comparatively second-rate. :i fie is welcome as a. politician, however, because he is hottest and, as one critic has put it, his claim to a place m any Government resides m . the veijy fact that he is first and foremost a politician— -that is, he has a considerable grip of Parliamentary things and much knowledge of official ways. But he is not the sort of man one would choose to "ride the whirlwind" or "direct the storm." He has industriously "got up" the Empire with the help of Blue Books,' but shows no real understanding of it and no man moving m Imperial affairs knows 'less about Europe and the Empire. His abilities are simply suited to the things of the Caucus or. -3 the House of Commons. There he makes a very respectable *|jsplay. He , always speatfi neaw ai *^ occasionally with force and point- Add that he is a fair administrator anH one has said practically all that can be said.