LORD READING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 13

LORD READING

DISTINGUISHED RECORD

MANY TRIBUTES

Many tributes were paid to the legal and political achievements of the Mai* guess of Reading at the end of December.

Among them were the following:—

Viscount Hailsham, the Lord Chancellor: "The first thing that strikes one, looking back on Lord Reading's life, was his amazing versatility. He has taken part in so many different public spheres of life, and succeeded so fully in all of them. .;

"As an advocate, the feature that impresses one most was his extraordinary quickness of thought and. calculation, which made him .a very f or* midable cross-examiner. He had a passionate admiration for British jusV tice and intense anxiety to be fair.

"As a Liberal leader I found him scrupulously fair and most anxious to give all possible weight to his opponents' points of view." ' ,

Sir Thomas Inskip, Attorney-Gen-eral: "The Bar of England has always regarded Lord Reading with the greatest possible admiration and affection. He held great offices outside his profession, but we always thought of him as a member of the Bar who brought great distinction to our profession." Viscount Sankey: The first thought that comes to my mind is that he wai a man upon whom, both in public and private life, one could place absolute reliance. As Sir Rufus Isaacs h« shared with Lord Carson the honour of being the greatest advocate and most popular man at the Bar. IN THE U.S.A. His highest qualities perhaps began to be exhibited in 1917, when he was sent as Special Ambassador to the U.S.A., where his diplomatic mind, solved many of Great Britain's difficulties. When he went as Viceroy to India his qualities, both of head and heart, did much to make his tenure of office a real success. '■" Only those who were behind the scenes in the Indian Round Table Conference know how much the success of that conference was due, not only to his advice in private, but to his public utterances. Lord MacMillan: "I have heard, with, the greatest regret of the death oirLord Reading.. He occupied a great place in the nation as a lawyer and also ai an Ambassador and Viceroy. He Will be missed in many spheres of public activity, and personally I regret the loss of his inspiring encouragement in the promotion of the course of higher education in relation to industry." Sir Harry McGowan, chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd.: Lord Reading was president of the company. His yast experience and sound judgment were of the greatest value. Few men have accomplished in 75 years what this great man has done. From my own knowledge—and I worked in close touch with him—all he did was "selfless." I mean he was unseeking, and his one objective wa» to do his duty for his country. The Marquess of Lothian: I was intimately associated with Lord Reading during all the labours of the Indian Constitution. Nobody worked harder at it or with greater public spirit, or left a deeper mark on the Constitution than Lord Reading. He possess? .Ed not only a distinguished intellect, but was of the noblest character, and had the greatest capacity, for-friend-liness. X Viscount Snowden: He served hii country with distinction in thehighest offices. He possessed gifts-of an exceptional order. ~ , '.: ;' ""*" GREAT LOSS TO NATiONi""" Lord Snell,.Leader of the Socialist peers: His death is a great loss'to the nation. He was distinguished in many fields of thought and achievement, and he leaves behind him a most enviable record. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald: He had singular ability, which was always at the disposal of the public. Had he had more and earlier opportunities to work in the international field he would been a great diplomatist. Personally he was one of the most human and genial fireside companions I have ever met. Sir John Simon, speaking from Monte Carlo: I most deeply mourn for the passing of one of my oldest and kindest friends. Sir Andrew Caird, who was Administrator of the New York headquarters of the British War Mission to the United States in 1917-18, praised Lord Reading's important work for this country in the United States during the war.

"When Lord Northcliffe became^rst head of the British War Mission in; 1917," he said, "one of his most important tasks was to arrange for th« regular monthly loan of money by th« United States government to the British Government. He felt it was necessary that a representative of the Government of high political standing should be entrusted with the work of negotiating for the loan.

"Lord Reading accepted the duty. and went to Washington in the lat'« summer of 1917. His eminence and his talents and his diplomatic suavity smoothed many difficult places. Early in 1918 he became High Commissioner and Special Ambassador, in which capacity he acted until the end of the war. He was highly successful in all the departments—diplomacy,. finance, and war supplies."