In fie Public Eye

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 34, 9 February 1935, Page 27

In fie Public Eye

'Sport and General" Photo,

i M. IGNACE MOSCICKI.'

But for the recent celebration of his thirtieth year of study and research, one would hardly think that Poland's outstanding contemporary scientist is the. President of the nation. Ignace Moscicki', v ri6w in his eighth year as chief executive, is an inorganic chemist by.training, but by self-applica-tion and experience he is a discoverer, mechanic, electrician, physicist and inventor. Mosciciki's anniversary in teaching chemistry and experimenting with it was the occasion for appropriate observances not only at the Warsaw'Polytechnical Institute, but in Krakow, Wilno, Poznan, and Chorzow as well. Like many of-'his countrymen who preceded him into the annals of world distinction, Mosciciki started his life's work and achieved success outside of his native country. Educated in Plock and Warsaw, he studied chemical technology at Riga, Latvia. Finishing his course, he joined ' the movement for Poland's freedom in Warsaw, but soon was,forced into exile by the Russian authorities., tie ;went to Lorfdon and lived there for five years. In 1897 he' became an assistant-in science at theUniversity of Fribourg in Switzerland. It^was there that young Moscieiki first* began seeking a solution for the problem then perplexing scientists/that of the impending shortage of Chilean nitrate of soda. His experiments were successful, and he was the first to realise a productive method for creating nitric acid from nitrogen found in the air. In 1912 Mosciciki joined the faculty df the' Poly technical Institute •of Lwow, first to teach physical and later electrical chemistry. There he gathered' around-himself a group of associates with.,-whom he organised thei.Metan. Company. Ten years later this concern became the Chemical Research Institute, moved to Warsaw, and became the country's chemical creative centre. Simultaneously Moscicki, in cooperation with Dr K. King, solved the problem of dividing raw petroleum into water and oil and worked out a method' for separating gasoline from ground gases. He also discovered a new process for distilling petroleum While not realised in Poland, the principles of this operation were adopted by several American engineers. Moscicki's election to the Presidency in 1926, ujhile limiting his laboratory time, has not divorced him from his experimenting. Dr. W, R. Matthews. "Eutychus," • writing in London "Truth," recently told of his visit to hear Dr. W. R. Matthews, Dean of St Paul's, on his first Sunday i morning as the successor to Dean Inge, which cannot fail to interest many people "Eutychus" said:— Dr. W. K. Matthews has a protestant head As he-sits in his, s stall, a curiously perpendicular profile,1 due partly to a thick tuft of hairjon one side Short nose. Lips rather full, as ot youth not yet worn down; a determined, not obstinate \ Perhaps 'the mam characteristic is stillness—a' mannish man in a man's church', only [shifting now and again trombone leg to the other, holding the desk with arms outstretched, with' r\<S occasion for being disturbed, sturdy, calm. \ , He prays, not withihis hands\in the conventional attitude, but with his head buried'in his arms—a rather, boyish touch. Prays before entering the pulpit. Once there, does not kneel again. Faces the congregation vwho. have come to hear him at the beginning of the Church's year—the successor of Colet, Donne, Inge, formal, official, but with the'air of preserving his independence. *Reads in detached syllables, as though to keep absolutely on the line: -"Owe ncr"man anything, but to love one ..another."" The voice, dry at first, with no attempt at display, no sense that he must make a personal impression. The first words 6f Scripture in the' Church's year establish the' principle of love. The Apostle,has-been'speaking of the duty of Christians to give honour where honour is due Secular government was part of the Divine Providence. The Kingdom, of. God is no force for rebellions It is ixv the hearts and minds of those who have heard its call. The preacher holds his stole with either hand, emphasising his words. The obligation then of the citizen is Love. But the text is so familrar that we do not recognise its strangeness One debt is to remain unpaid and one only. Why? The congregation looks up as though waiting for the answer Not because of lack of" will. . The preacher raises his index finger. Because love can never be repaid. Love is a principle of living 'which can never be exhausted. The voice is growing less formal, the syllables less cadenced Love embraces all law and goes behind The deliberate voice continues. The idea of the good life which Christ preaches" is- that of love behind the law. Love worketh no ill to the neighbour, therefore it is the fulfilling of the law. We all know the moral man who obeys principles, but who repels us The graceless rascal is sometimes nearer our hearts than he Why? Because he is satisfied, has finished, has no spirit of adventure, will never lead a forlorn hope The Christian has a debt that is never payable. Who are "others"? The preacher is determined to make men ask themselves questions Theyare the mass of humanity, firstly, whom we cannot treat individually, but towards whom we must cultivate good will, not indulging in halteds against Jew, black man, Russian, whosoever. Spiritual states are more infectious than disease. The _world is pre-. occupied with disarmament, but any success there implies good will beforehand;- There must be love without reservation or limit. The corners of the preacher's mouth are firm.

MAJOR J. J. ASTOR, M.P.

Once again an Empire Press Conference has come round, and once again Major John' Jacob Astor is taking a prominent part in its deliberations. When the conference took place in Australia, many New Zealanders' were able to make the acquaintance' of many of the Empire's most'prominent newspaper men,.and of these none left a greater impression. upon those with whom he came in contact than did Major Astor. His has been the directing brain behind "The Times," the most influential newspaper in the British Empire, if not in the world. Major Astor purchased the interests of the late Lord Northcliffe in 1922, and is now chairman and' principal proprietor of "The Times'* Publishing Company. In addition to his wealth he is a great sportsman, journalist, and soldier, while in his younger days he had a notable reputation as an athlete He was m the Eton cricket eleven m 1904, and in 1905 he won the public schools rackets. He has played polo, and has won steeplechases. He plays tennis and golf, and he shoots and fishes His career as *a soldier started in, 1906, when he joined the First Life Guards. He was ADC. to the Viceroy of India from 1911 to 1914, but as soon as the war began he was in France _wjth ,the Household Cavalry, serving during'that memorable retreat from Mons 'He was wounded at the first Battle of Ypres, but was back in France again within a month. Iril9lß he changed to the artillery and commanded a heavy battery, but was severely wounded in September of that year, and returned to England to settle down as a politician and journalist!' <In November, 1922, he was elected as Unionist member for the Dover division! of Kent, and has held the seat ever since. His public interests, apart altogether from "The Times," are varied. iHe has been an alderman -ot the London Cqunty Council, president ofr-the Xent"Cbun«' cil of the British Legion, a member of the executive committee to the King's Roll National Council, a member of, the-Ministry, of Labour and Juvenile Unemployment Committee, a governor of the Middlesex Hospital, and is identified prominently, with dozens of charitable institutions. It was Major Astor who initiated ana directed the plan which has made the ownership of, "The Times" a national trust, and ; he has put nearly a million pounds' into it on a basis which can never give him a high return. His' wife. Lady Violet Astor, is the youngest daughter of the fourth Earl of Minto, and before sfie married Major Astor was the widow of Major Lord Charjes Mercer-Nairn, son of the Marquess of Lansdown, Superintendent W. G. Cole. Superintendent William George Cole :he man who has guarded the King for fourteen years, has retired. The King and Queen said good-bye to him at a special audience at Buckingham Palace, 'when the King invested him him v/ith the,M/V.O. Mr, Cole then 'set his last duty .of superintending the police arrangements 'Xpr .the•,departure of the King and/Queen" tav'Sandringham * Mr. Cole has accompanied the King on every public' appearance he has made in the last'^ourteen years, and has been with him also on many private ' occasions. Many hundreds of people have seen him, in silk hat and morning clothes, walking quietly near the King, without realising that he was directly responsible for guarding his Majesty's person. Mr. Cole is succeeded by Inspector •Harold Green, who for. several years has been attached to the Queen as police officer. His place with the Queen is taken by Inspector Cameron, who has been ■ with the Duke and Duchess of York.

Mr. Cole joined the police force in 1901 at-J.9, and-began'his i career as a uniformed constable, in * Islington. From there he vent to Scotland Yard, where he served as constable, sergeant, and inspector, :from 1902 ;to~ 1912. In 1912 Mr: Cole, went fo^Acton and then to Willesderi'Green'as' inspector-jin-chaijge/leaving there »Jnj 1919 for West Ham as" sub-divisional inspector-in-charge. From West Ham he was appointed to Buckingham Palace on January 1, 1921, as "Police officer in attendance upon his Majesty the King." In this position he was responsible for the personal safety of the King at all times, and for police arrangements at Buckingham Palace', Sandringham, Bal-1 moral, and Windsor Castle. He was promoted superintendent on January 1, 1929 , ' ,