In the Public Eye

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 32, 9 February 1929, Page 26

In the Public Eye

Miss Ellen Wilkinson. ■Politicans are often the butt of jokes, ■usually quite harmless, but at other limes' they might be termed "prac--1 ii'.al,'.'. though '' impractical would 4>...'iiip.e ■'.•« a better term. Absurdities of'this..kind are very seldom in New

Zealand, but. m England apparently it happens quite frequently, if one is to beHpvc ■ the words of " Miss Ellen Wilkinson,' ILP., as cabled by the Press Association during the week. Recently she received a dead goat in a box through tho

post, the inference'being that when it started on its journey it was alive, but on arrival was found to be dead, which, was hard on the goat, to say the least of it. . Apparently it was a hint to Miss WilU'inson that the sender considered she had been playing "the goat" in some way or other, but how is not explained. Miss happens to be a very serious :ind well-informed politician, w\\o would no more stage a feminine "stunt" than she would join the Conservative Party, and she would doubtless take the goat incident in a philosophical manner, quite good-humouredly discussing the matter u-ith her friends. ■Parliament is Only now tasting the full quality of this woman Socialist, ■who is more feminine- than feminist. Her maiden speech some years ago was an admirable performance, according to the critics, unhesitating, but not too confident, attractively deHvered, just_ right in point of length, and eminently sensible if her point of view is uceeptod. Since then she has asked many questions, and has made many incursions into debate, but she yet remains the same- Ellen Wilkinson who was returned in the Labour interest for Middlesbrough East in 1924:. She ia still the fiery little- lady who, at Labour conference's, has been known tn coin phrases of a startling nature, and who quite characteristically recently declared that Mrs. Philip Suowden ought to be slapped for ' criticising | Mr. Ramsay MacDoiiald, She is impulsive, intensely "^ilive," and at the same time is in deadly earnest. It did not take her long to soak up'the ''atmosphere" of Parliament, and now her tiny, trim figure, with a bag crammed with -papers, is quite a common sight, within the precincts of the House. During periods of debate she leans; forward in her seat with her chin on her hand, studying every point of procedure and appraising every fresh turn of the discussion. She has more than served her apprenticeship now, and is one of the tried hands of tho House, and it is good to see and hear Tier, especially if anybody succeeds m making her really angry. . She has au•buni hair of a deep tint, and at .times her dresses are somewhat startling in colour. A recent venture in dress, ■unique enough to be mentioned in the cable news, was a frock of bright green | which' made her the most vivid figure I on the floor of the usually staid House I of Commons. Fortunately, this woman , j[P, is Unusually good-looking and tor that reason can well afford to -experiment in costume vagaries.

ir Thomas Koydon. , A few days ago Sir Thomas Hoyden, lainiiau of the Cnndrd.- Steam Ship ciripany,' stated that the White btar me intended to build a large steamer i enter into tho Atlantic service, and ■at it would be the very latest thing in the way or speed and comfort. Sir Thomas Hoyden is one of the great shipcontrollers of Great Britain, and has been on the directorate of the Cu'nard Company ever since 1905, so'that,,he understands the exigencies of the trans a t 1 a n tic

trade. In '1909 he became deputy chairman, ami lie took over the full control m lU—. Sir Thomas is a man of wide interests, and is associated: with ma ay important commercial undertakings, being on the directorates of some big concerns. He is the controlling head of Thomas Koy-<len-and'Sons, and of the Santa Clara Steam Ship '.Company, while' he is also on the directorate of a dozen or more shipping concerns. He is chairman of the Liverpool Steam Ship Owners' Assoication, and* a past president of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom. Notwithstanding his many commercial interests, he devoted himself to Parliamentary work for some years, being member lor the Bootle Division; from .1918 to 1922, when he decided to retire. Philanthropic works have also claimed a great (leal of his attention, especially iv the direction ot shipping, his chief work being in connection with the training ship Indefatigable and'-the Mersey Mission to Seamen. During the Great War his expert knowledge of shipping and commerce proved invaluable to the Allies, raid on the outbreak of hostilities he was asked to assist the Director of Transports in London. He was subsequently appointed a member of the Shipping Control Committee, which fleveluped into the Ministry of Shipping. 'As a member of this committee and of the Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies, he took a leading part in maintaining tli.e food stocks of >the British Isles and in combating the submarine menace. On two occasions he proceeded to the United States, representing the Controller of Shipping- on war matters, and in 1919 ho was delegated to represent the Controller at the Paris Peaco Conference. For his distinguished services during the war period he was created a Companion of Honour, while the French and Belgian authorities conferred upon him the Legion' of Honour of their respective countries. In -1922 Sir Thomas married Quenelda Mary, widow of the late l\lr. C. F. Williamson, of Chester, but they have no children,, and his heir is his brother. Sir William H. Seager.

speaking at-a shipowners' iliuner at Newcastle in the early part of the present week,. Sir..William 11. Seager, president of the 1 "British Chamber of {snipping, expressed the hope that, the nciv liner for the Canard' Company would be built on the Tyiic. thus helping to solve to some extent f at least,-the unemployment; in shipbuilding circles, which is almost as serious as it is in the mining areas. Sir William Seagor is not only a prominent ship-

ou'iior, but, liko

Sir Thomas Royelcii, his activities embrace politics, philanthropy, and social work. As regard . his business i-areer, lie founded .: <ajicl liuilt up tin; important firms of W. 11. Seager and ■Co; (Cardiff) and the Tempus Shipping Company. He is nlso chairman of the Bopner Shipbuilding and Repairing Company, at Stockton, and a' director

of the Garforth" Collieries, thus being interested in the three great industries of sjjti transport, shipbuilding, and coal mining. His record among shipping men has boen appropriately crowned by his recent appointment as president of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, while.ho has long been at the head of several, big shipping organisations in the principality. South Wales has, therefore, every reason to bo proud of Sir William, particularly as in his political lifo ho has been no less successful. He was the first elected member, of Parliament for the Division of Cardiff East, and. he .retained that seat for the Coalition Liberals from 1918 to 1922, after which he did not seek reelection. Sir William has always taken a keen interest in public life, as is evidenced by the fact that he is Deputy-Lieutenant for Glamorganshire and a Justice of the Peace for the City of Cardiff. In the sphere of philanthropy and social welfare ho has done much good work in connection with the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, of which he is a trustee, and he is. also chairman of the Royal Hamadryad Seamen's Hospital, and past president for the Cardiff Institute for the Blind. When presiding last June at the Fourth International Shipping Conference in London, at which there were present delegates from sill parts of the world, including New Zealand, he said that he was hope-, ful that the barriers erected as a result of the war would be considerably lowered, if not entirely swept away, so that shipowners might enter upon a period of freedom from restrictions, which' would go a long way to eliminate misunderstandings, and it is along these lines that most of his work has been carried out during the last few months. Colonel Henry L. Stirason.

During the present week it was intimated that Colonel Henry L. Stimson, who is at present Governor of the Philippine Islands, had been asked by Mr. Herbert Hoover, the Presidentelect of the United States, to accept a position in\ the

new Cabinet as Secretary of State. It is understood that Colonel Stiinsou has acceded to the request and is preparing to leave Manila very shortly. It was only last jjear that he took over the Governor - Generalship

of the American dependency. He is now in his sixtysecond year, and when he took over his Philippine Islands task he dropped one of the most lucrative legal practices in New York in order to carry out President Coolidge's behest. • In 1911 he became Secretary of War under President Taft, fulfilling liia task with splendid devotion and expertness. In 1917, Mr. Stimson, as he then was, offered his services to the army which he had formerly directed, and was appointed with the rank of major. It was not long before he was promoted colonel, and during the intervening' period ho saw a-lot of active service in the Mold Artillery. In 1927 he was sent 'to Nicaragua to attempt the almost impossible task of composing the differences between the Nicaraguan political parties and paving the way | for a fair election. He gave up several months of a busy life to carry out this work, but returned to New York without having succeeded to any great extent. Born in New York City in 18G7, of affluent parents, ho went to school at Exeter Academy, and was graduated from Yale in 1888. He later studied law at Harvard, and after being admitted to the Bar went into the office of another famous American, Mr. Blihii Boot, his father's friend.. That distinguished lawyer early recognised the sterling intellectual qualities of this self-contained, quiet New Englander, and in time took him into partnership. In later years Colonel Stimson established the famous law firm of Stimson and Winthrop, and his practice brought him into contact with the big business interests of his country, but he consistently remained a staunch adherent of the liberal elements of the Republican Party. His enemies and opponents characterise him as an "icicle." but the truth is that he possesses none of the qualities of a handshaker, having :rather the' reserve of -i 'modest gentleman, .'•.-■ Dr. C. H. Wang.

China is providing the stage at tho present' time across which many ligures pass and .pose for a-brief period without very much being known about them by the outside world, even though they may be appreciated and known among their compatriots. Of. these puppet figures the most recent is Dr. C. H. Wang, known in his own country as Wang OhingIlwei. He lias arisen out of the' storms of China 'a revolutionary ■ period, anil 19 far more

popular than all the military ■ dictators'. During the present week it was intimated by the cable service that he had signed, on behalf of China, a new, Tariff Treaty with Great Britain, which was likely to bring about a niueh better understanding between the two countries. Like many of his associates in the changes.through which China is passing, Dr. Wang is erctremely youthful in spirit and iv appearance. As the responsible head of the Central Executive Committee of China's Nationalist Party—the Kuomintang—lie wields a great deal of power, which, coupled with his natural ability, gives him a considerably greater authority than any other man has been able to wield iii the succeeding., crises of the past few years. Born into a family of moderate means and educated in Japan, Dr. Wang first leaped into national prominence when lie tried to assassinate a Manchu Prince in 19(Ki at Pekin, during the early growth of Chinese Nationalism." He was not successful, and with four companions was sentenced to death,' but, a reprieve saved him from the executioner. Some 'years later he joined-the-service of the late Dr. Sun Vat-sen, »and ■for 'many 'years was his personal assistant: "In the eyes oi the Chinese people Dr.. Wang is the'natural successor to: Dr. Sun, I but the Nationalists do not emphasise his power in this direction because they ' are' opposed to one-man domination. In 1018 he' served as. Minister of Finance and Director of the Sal ; t Administration of the Chinese ■ .Republic '-In the Nationalist movement he occupies a central position, being resolutely opposed to the control of the military autocrats aswell as to the policy of the Communists, who also seek to dominate the position. In conversation with an American journalist recently, Dr. Wang declared that the Kuomintang was not in sympathy with Communism, though they had cooperated with Russia, chiefly because that country had shown a desire to help them. Ho said that the Kuomintang had allowed the Communists to join them, but they had never joined the Communist Party, nor.had they allowed the Russians to dominate their policy. Dr. Wang's power over Chinese audiences is almost hypnotic, and his porsonality is playing a large part in the working out of the Chinese revolution.