BRILLIANT AUSTRALIAN JEW

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 256, 25 July 1936, Page 22

BRILLIANT AUSTRALIAN JEW

Meets King Edward

Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs, the most brilliant Jew in the Dominions (remarks the London “Sunday Express”), arrived in London recently to give the King an account of his stewardship as Governor-General of Australia. He was accompanied by Lady Isaacs, and was met at Victoria station by the Earl of Dunmore, V.C., representing the King. — Sir Isaac was the first native-born Governor-General, the first Jew to hold that office, the first representative of the King to take up his appointment without a personal interview with his sovereign, and the first GovernorGeneral to be appointed independently of the British Government at home. He retired last year, when he was succeeded by Lord Gowrie (previously Sir Alexander llore-Ruthven, V.C.), and is in his eighty-first year. He was seventy-six, with a lifetime of arduous public service behind him, wffien he became Governor-General in circumstances that bristled with controversy. He has concluded his task in triumph The Imperial Conference of 1926 declared that the Governor-General of a Dominion should be the “representa tive of the Crown, holding in all re spects the same position in relation to the administration of public affairs as is held by, his Majesty the King in Great Britain,” and should have no connection with the British Government.

Mr. Scullin, Labour Prime Minister of Australia, interpreted this to the full. He advised the King as to his choice, and his choice was Sir Isaac Isaacs.

And what sort of a man is this who has won so much honour?

He was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on August 6, 1555. His father was a tailor, lie faced the.world with few advantages but his own brains and determination. These won for him successively high distinction •at the Melbourne University, a rich practice at the Victorian Bar, a seat in the Victorian Parliament, the positions of Solicitor-Gen-eral and Attorney-General for Victoria, of Attorney-General for Australia, of Judge and Chief Justice of the Australian High Court, a Privy Councillorship, a K.C.M.G., the Gov-ernor-Generalship, and a G.C.M.G. In his early days as a politician, when the professional man’s uniform was a tall hat and a frock coat, he had to address a tough meeting of miners. “That hat will create a bad impression,” said a friend. “If I wore any other,” Sir Isaac replied, “I should b e appearing as a cheat. The men will see me as I am: and if they like they can knock my hat off with a stone.” He wore his tall hat and won the election. He has extraordinary knowledge of languages. He speaks fluent French, Italian and German. He has a good command of Greek,j'Latin, Arabic, and coastal Chinese.

He is regardless of public opinion when convinced that he is in the right. There was some criticism of his appointment of one of his two daughters, Miss Nancy Isaacs, to be his associate while he was a judge. But lie thought she would make a good associate, and lie was right. Miss Isaacs was the first woman to hold such a position in Australia.