In the Public Eye

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 104, 3 May 1924, Page 7

In the Public Eye

SOME POINTS OF NOTABLE PERSONAGES

The human side of-Mr. Ramsay MacDonald come 3 out strongly in what seems a new story ha told to Mr. William H. Crawford, inter-viewing him for "Collier's Weekly." The Premier spoke of Lord -Morley, and said: "He was one of my best friends and chief advisers. I had a standing engagement for years to spend every Sunday afternoon with him. His lordship was very fond of good cigars, and always had. a bountiful supply. If my conversation had delighted him during a visit, on my leaving he -would say • 'Take six cigars.' Jf my visit had made only a mediocre impression he would say: 'You can have but four to-day,' and if I had been dull he invariably offered me two. As^the cigars were better than my rather meagre purse could purchase, I always took them, arid would sometimes argue with .him as to. the value of my conversation during that day, but. he was as inexorable as the laws of the Medes ,and Persians, and would answer, 'iSo, Ramsay,' you earned but two to.day. : , ■ '.

Victor of the Burnley 'by-election, Mr. Arthur Henderson had the privilege of participating, in a unique-function at the House of Commons. The Home Secretary, although he had come of age as a member of the House, once again had to go through the ceremony of introduction, and hia sponsors were" his two sons, who represent Enfield and Cardiff.; ■The presence of a father and two sons in the same House of Commons is an event without parallel in modern -political history. ;■ ■'„ ■. ; . ; .

.The name of Professor John James Rickard Macleod -has been brought prominently before the. .public in the two hemispheres, in connection- with the insulin treatment of diabetes.' The son of the Rev.' Robert Macleod, Senior Min-' ister, of the John Knox 'United; Free Church, Aberdeen, he was educated r.t the Grammar School and University of that city, graduating in medicine with honours at the latter in 1898. Since 1918 he -has been Professor of Physiology 'at' Toronto, having previously filled a similar post at Cleveland, Ohio. While he was yet at Ohio, some ten years ago, Professor Macleod bad published a book on diabetes. Small cellular bodies in the tissue of the pancreas, ihe Islets of Langerhans, produce an internal secretion , necessary for the ■ control of the metabolism of sugar, and if they' cease to function, diabetes sets in. The difficulty was to isolate1 this secretion. Following a suggestion by! Mr. F. G.- Banting, the secretion, as the result of the investigations carried out under the direction of Professor Macleod, was ultimately found, with the result that' diabetes has b^fen robbed of its terrors.

J^Few perhaps are aware that Colonel Ward, the Labour M.P., who commanded the Labour Battaliop in the War, is a great student of Dickens. He has read over and over again all of Dickens's works, and in great, measure ( bases his speeches on the sentiments of love and humanity which run through the whole of that novelist's writings. :. Speaking recently at the City of London Pickwick Club, the Colonel remarked on the curious fact that : Dickens was the first writerVto .'realise; tlie good .''points' cf those colloquially' known as'.'the■'lower order, and of placing; them in theiri right perspective.. ! . : : '■

Dr.' Wilfred T. Gronfell, "the uncrowned King of Labrador," as he has been termed, is taking a tour of the world. He hopes to reach .England in July, arid, after visiting the Continent, will sail for Africa. Later he goes to India, Australia, and New Z e aland. After over 30 years' work in Labrador, Dr. Grenfell wants a thorough change, tie ■may deliver an occasional lecture on his thrilling experiences among the icebergs, but the tour is primarily intended to be a holiday. Dr. Grenfoll first laboured among the deep-sea, fishermen in. the North Sea before going to Labrador.

A novel recently published , entitled "John Clutterbuckj': is by his Honour Judge Ruegg', whoi for the last 16 years has presided over the County Courts of Staffordshire. As1 an' .author "Judge Ruegg has hitherto been known only by his Jearned . treatises on such '.topic's'-. as" x the- Workmen's Compensation \Acts,' on which he'is a leading authority.'■'■ Now; however,- he" tells the story 'of-a young barrister who, just-as he is rising to fame; leaves the profession to devote his life" to :the detection of a very mysterious crime. The: novel; has an object, however, and this is to establish a claim for the legal recognition of unconscious crime, long admitted, by the medical profession, but not- welcomed by their legal confreres. ..:

"I will never forget the scene when I wont to tell Mr. William Whitcley thaL I wanted to leave to become organiser of the union," said;'Mr. P. C. Hoffmann, M.P., organiser of the- National. Amalgamated Union ut Shop Assistants. "The old man was a great character. He slowly put down his pencil, looked at mo in amazement, and asked me to repeat what I wanted to do. 'To abolish tho living 7 in system,' I answered. There followed a terrific argument. The old man banged the table in front oE him, and not to be outdone I Banged it as well. Then suddenly ho had an idea, apd chuckled over it. 'I congratulate you,' he said. 'We supply .anything from a needle to an elephant. Now it is supplying an agitator to the. liabour movement. We are living up to our name as "universal providers." Excellent! All my young men who leave me go to good positions. . Good luck' to you!' "

Admiral Sir Reginald Hall, formerly principal agent of the, Unionist Party, found the strain of work at the end to have seriously aftected his health. Ad r miral Hall's appointment as principal agent dates from last March. In many quarters, he'is believed to have advised Mr. Baldwin to venture on the General Election of last December—which led to the downfall of the Unionist Government. .Sir;: Reginald lost his seat for West Derby, Liverpool, in the election/ his 9000 majority gained at; the previous election being converted'into a;Liberal majority of 1990. During'the war" lie was head of the Intelligence Department at the Admiralty, and one of his princi:_ pal tasks was to round up German spies.•

At the age of Ü BS Mr. Charles Rowley: recently found that he was unable to car.-y on the remarkable Ancoats Brotherhood, to which, with great tact and skill, he has. lured nearly every able speaker in England. The work, with'its varied features, has existed for nearly 50 years. Mr. -Rowley used to meet many of. his regular speakers on New Year's Day "in London, and his cheery geniality was one" of the magnets, that' drew men and women of the most diverse opinion to Ancoats. This work, so well founded, and maintained, provided splendid lectures, concerts, and fraternal aid. ...... ....