ONE OF MR. STEAD'S "GREAT" NAMES MADAME NOVIKOFF.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 508, 15 May 1909, Page 11

ONE OF MR. STEAD'S "GREAT" NAMES MADAME NOVIKOFF.

A striking demonstration of tho influence which it i& possible for a clever woman to attain among tho leaders of political policy in England is given in a bulky collection of the correspondence and reminiscenoos of Mme. Olga Novikoff,. just, published. The .leaders of .the women's . movement in this country seem to have learned nothing from, the personality and methods of the ingenious lady . whom Beacohsfield called the ''Member; for Russiaj",.although several of them are not inferior to her in culture, persistency, "and enthusiasm. . Tactlessness, both individual and corporate, is the fatal deficiency which has so far ■ maimed their engineering efforts, and may yet defeat their main purpose. Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett, one of the many English politicians captivated by-Mme.'Novikoff; declared somo time ago that she: did more by her diplomacy and writings- to strengthen Russia during the crisis of ■ 1876-78 than if she had equipped an army corps of 100,000 men. -For years

she: conducted a salon in her rooms, at Claridge's Hotel, and in spite ot her, reputation for being "dangerous".'''politically'; ;jahd; "ain intriguing Russian spy" ; .(an; apparently groundless charge), she contrived;to; attract,', in addition to leading public meih, ;Froude,-. Freeman, Carlylc,, and other . the .day. : ■ Letters Bow. published for the first time show that: Gladstone: acquired a remarkable degreo of trust in Mme. Novikofl's - good sense ;and ( powers 'of reticence during: crisos inriwhioh- 'any disclosure on her part">would" have: compromised him . very seriously. An indication of the freo style of - thoir intoroourso is seen in- a . written description ' of Lord. ;- Salisbury; - ■ which . he gave her on ono "I think it right at once." : ho wrote, "to. give you my opinion of Lord Salisbury, who I' know pretty well in private. .He has little foreign.or Eastern knowledge and: little craft. Hie; is rough of tongue in .public .debate, but a; groat - gentle-' man in' private, society.. He is very remarkably : clover, of unsure judgment, but he is above everything that is mean j has no Disraelite prejudices, keeps a conscience, arid has plenty of manhood and character. ■ In a word, the appointment of Lord Salisbury to Constantinople is the best thing the Government has yet done in the Eastern .question. He is.'a-inan-whose confidence is worth Vvinnmg." Mme. Novikoff won oonfidence partly because she was loyal to hor adopted country as .well as-.to Mr." W. one of her oldest friends ; (and tho compiler of her' correspondence and reminisoences), bears testimony to ! her usefulness to England. "It is," he says, ''Mme. Novikoff's- peculiar and unique claim to the; grateful. recogmticni' of 'the nations .that she,more consistently, moro persistently,: and more' conspicuously than any other. human being maintained in-both countries; the cause of • the -Anglo-Russian entente. ' Arid that boing the case, I am justified, in claiming her right to bo recognised as the real horoino of a great international rapproohement,. the. most outstanding figure of; influenoe. amorig all those who, .contributed to replace onmity by co-operation, to make foes into, friends." .