SIR EDWARD GREY, K.G.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 211, 21 August 1914, Page 3

SIR EDWARD GREY, K.G.

BRITISH TO THE CORE

UPHOLDER OF THE EMPIRE’S HONOUR.

(Sidwell Shotton in Sydney* Herald.) “ The most important man in the world to-day,” said Sir Gerald Strickland the other day. And Sir Edward Grey, at the age of 50, has won his great position by the force of his high character and his devotion to duty. His great talents were first recognised by Gladstone, who rather deplored his young friend’s love of fly-fishing and tennis. “ 1 never remember,” he said, “ so signal a capacity for Parliamentary life, and so small a disposition to it.” As a Northumbrian. Sir Edward is held in great affection by all classes, and whenever he makes a political speech in Newcastle or Alnwick he is assured of a full house of eager admirers. Yet he owes his groat personal ascendancy to no great gifts of oratory, that is, oratory as it is understood in Australia. Clear and incisive in speech, he has none of the orator’s tricks ; ad captanduni appeals are not his nay of presenting his views to the people. The thought behind his words carries conviction, his great charm of manner and persuasive eloquence lift his political argument to a higher plane than oratorical fireworks could effect. I have before me a holograph letter, one of several I have, received from him. Being engaged at the time in political work in Northumlierland. I had written to Sir Edward., asking him to speak at a meeting at Wooler with the Hon. Frederick Lambton (Lord Durham’s tain brother) and the late l)r. Hodgkin. He could not speak then, hut kindly offered to speak later on il he could spare the time. In that year —l9os —Sir Edward was member for Berwick, which includes a great part of Northumberland, and was then a, private member. He had been in Parliament 12 years, and his groat reputation had been built up slowly after years of patient work in the ranks of his party. But he always stood high in the estimation of his, colleagues. A man who is now in the Asquith Ministry told me in 1905 that Sir Edward was head and shoulders above the heads of the ybun<<er members of the party. To those who know him it is, therefore, no surprise that he has gained the confidence and respect of the British people. He is emphatically not out for advertisement, and is not the type of politician who promises everything to everybody, but an eminently sane, safe man, truly typical English of the. higher class. A friend who helped Sir Edward at his first election in 1892 told me that at the meeting at Wooler the nervousness he displayed was most disconcerting to his supporters : but they elected him by a large majority, and ever since the name of Grey lias been one to conjure with in Northumberlaud.

At a dinner given to his cousin. Lord Grev. previous to his departure for Canada in 1904. Sir Edward made one of the most stirring and masterly addressed til * speech oi the evening, if not of a lifetime. A leading Northumbrian sitting next to me said, “ The future Prime Minister.” On the Liberal party coming into power in 1905, Sir Edward was called to the high office of Foreign Secretary. Though slightly handicapped by his want ot colloquial French. he speedily made his mark. Whenever Sir Edward is up in the House of Commons the place is packed. He rarely speaks at length, except on great occasions, but every word is well weighed. Personally he is the. most gracious and charming of men, most kind to all associated with him. He married happily a wife to whom he was devotee!, and whose sad death from a carriage accident just after Sir Edward became Foreign Secretary was a blow from which many thought he would never recover. But he faced the world and duty again, with what success time has shown. There is no man in English politics to-day who is so trusted by both parties, no man who has heard him speak or enjoyed the charm of his conversation in ever so slight a degree but thinks of him with respect and admiration. Salmon fishing is his chief pleasure, and lie is never happier than when on the Irish rivers or at his quiet home at Falloden, in Northumberland, amongst his friends, or on the coast near where the ruins of Dunstanburg Castle frown on the North Sea. Now the fate of the Empire and Europe is largely in the hands of this quiet English baronet. Trusted alike by the King and the people, he stands one of the noblest figures in our England of to-day.