PEN PICTURES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 104, 4 May 1936, Page 8

PEN PICTURES.

ENGLISH STATESMEN. I JOURNALIST'S ADDRESS. | LLOYD GEORGE V. ANTHOJT EDEN. ■ An interesting impression <of tin Li personalities of the British House of Commons was given to-day by Mr. E McD. Vincent, a New Zealand journalist, in a luncheon address to the Auckland % Rotary Club. Mr. Vincent has M recently returned from a visit to En»- 'f land, and he spoke with knowledge of many men whose names are familiar in K*' the cables, but of whom little is know £ here. He referred to Mr. Stanley Baldwin, $'■' Prime Minister of England, as jl homely man, homely in clothing and in speech —reading from manuscript when making : -\ an important speech, and using choice phrases, yet inclined to repetition when '|j§| speaking in impromptu fashion; to Mr. • L. C. M. S. Amery, "who in cleverness is of greater stature than most men in the Cabinet, but where cleverness wonM not be acceptable to his colleagues in the Government"; to Mr. McGovern, of the Clydeside and his "diabolic ingenuity in giving a sinister twist to the actions . of his opponent," and his colleague, Mr James Maxton, who in appearance, ad j with sardonic eluickle, conveyed a suggestion of the macabre; to Mr. Winston Churchill, "whose amiability is greater than any man there, and whose energy is indefatigable, and whose speech has " , the dignity and compelling force of tie statesman. Labour Leader. Of Major Atlee, Loader of the Labour party, Mr. Vincent said that his appearance was that of a harassed man whs lacked too much the quality of, . amiability. "Bitterness docs not go well with | leadership," lie said, "but he is experi- f.'. onre.l and sincere and with more mellow- j • ness lie may yet inspire the rank and Ills >•.' into a fully effective fighting forco, something it certainly was not in th» last Parliament. No greater contract • in types than lie and Mr. Lansbury:! would be possible to imagine. In Mr. Lansbury we have the idealist, despite his prosaic exterior. Major Atlee has ideals byt lie is also a realist, unlike the man he has succeeded."

! To Mr. Vincent two of the most impressive figures were those of Mr. Lloyd George and Sir. Anthony Eden, and he described a conflict between the two on the Abyssinian question as tie fV dramatic incident of his stay in the House. Like Mr. Ramsay MacDonaWi lie said, Mr. Lloyd George was getting out of touch with current thought, Trot he could still command a full House by his forensic gifts. "Mr. Lloyd George has developed 8 whisper into a thing of art," he "He makes most of his points with it, .{§; packing more significance, more convic- g tion than most orators could possibly |g achieve by the most resounding sen-, .■ tcnces into a phrase that one has to ■ strain the ears to hear. That his lis - - tcners do strain the ears to hear suffi* : ciently illustrates the magnetism, the jgj impressiveness of the man. His spec® , and what followed stamp the session |>> for me with vividness. Defeat of Goliath. "Mr. Lloyd George attacked ■ Government, alleging a procrastination that had permitted the war again s Abyssinia. He made other allegations g| that implied bad faith by the Governlnent both to the country it serves antt || its supporters on the League of Nations. Indeed, part of tlii<s allegation was one of double-dealing with Italy behind t* J| back of France. The effect on '® House was disturbing. One could sen"® even before the storm of applause tM-j.® marked his climax that Labour, wW 1 ; had been swinging toward accepting the views of the Government, was frankly M suspicious, while many of the Govern' ment members had weakened in faith. "Before Mr. Lloyd George had sllt gg down Mr. Anthony Eden was on his feet, and a counter roar of applause greeted him. Not till then had I appreciated 3 fully the resource and ability of p Eden. With the cold hammer of fact® > he smashed and tumbled the edifice oj suspicion Mr. Lloyd George had created m by the magic of words. I felt 6orry for the discomfiture of a veteran g| Goliath at the hands of a political g| David."