HEIR TO A TITLE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 136, 9 June 1926, Page 9

HEIR TO A TITLE

VIEWS OF A LEGAL AUTHORITY

MR. 0. MOSLEY AND "COMRADE"

CYNTHIA,

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, 21st April.

Despite the fact that he has publicly stated tliat he will never accept the title of baronet ou the death of his father, Mr. Oswald Mosley, a former Conservative M.P. for Harrow, and now a declared Socialist, will have no alternative in the matter.- He will become Sir Oswald Mosley, Bart. Such is the view expressed by Mr. A. C. tfox-Davies, the eminent legal authority on titles. "Mi". Mosley could only renounce the title," said Mr. Fox-Davies, "if he could get a special Act of Parliament passed to abolish the baronetcy. This he would find au exceedingly difficult task. An Act of Parliament, it is said, n can do anything except turn a man into a woman and vice versa, but I doubt whether it would exercise its powers in a case like Mr. Mob-, ley's. "A baronetcy is not only a privilege and au honour, it is a state—once a baronet always a baronet. Even if a baronet does something disgraceful he cannot have his title forfeited. "Lady Cynthia Mosley, Mr. Oswald's wife, has also, I believe, said that she cares nothing tor her title and prefers to be addressed as 'Comrade.' I do not know whether she ig aware of the fact or not, but Bhe could with very little trouble establish her claim to a peerage which has for some time been in abeyance in the Curzon family. If she doesn't want it perhaps one o£ her sisters could do with itl It would take a little time to establish it, of course, but I haven't a doubt in the world that the claim would succeed." The polite correspondence between Mr. Mosley and his father opens up an interesting vista of epistolary duels between Tory fathers and Socialist sons which will contribute to the gaiety of nations (says "The Weekly Dispatch") which adds: "Mr. Mosley and Lady Cynthia were seen cultivating their Socialist, friends at the Scotch concert in Queen's Hall on Saturday night. He has what the Scots call a 'quid conceit' of himself, and has succeeded in getting his new party 'to take him at hig own valuation, while Lady Cynthia is known among them as 'Comrade Cynthia.' They prefer, however, to live in the cultivated seclusion of Smith square, where they have converted two houses into one, which is not exactly a Socialist contribution to the solution of the housing problem. There they have as their neighbours -Mr. M'Kenna, Sir Godfrey Collins, and Mr. Walter Kea, and they will shortly welcome Lord Grey of Fallodon, who is building a new house in the square. Mr. Runciman is round the corner in Barton street. Another comrade, however, is not far away. Mr. Charles Trevelyan has a nice house in Little College street." "