LORD RHONDDA.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VII, Issue 202, 20 June 1917, Page 2

LORD RHONDDA.

THE PROFITEER HUNTER. Britain’s new Food Controller, Lord Rhondda, formerly Air. D. A. Thomas, is an administrator of great ability. What Mr. Lloyd Geoigo is in iXorth Wales Lord Rhondda is in the busy South. Even his opponents admit his quality. While they criticise him anti chafe at his triumphs they concede that he is no hypocrite. Describing turn as an “industrial jeayll and Hyde,” Air. V ernou Hartshorn, the miners' leader, said of him: “in so far as Lord Kuoudda is an organiser of industry, a man whose talents enable wealth to be macle more ehicient, lie is a producer, a worker, and a puufic benefactor. Jiut’ in so far as lie is a capitalist, a mere owner of wealth, and a drawer oi profits, he is a public menace.” i\ot long ago miners' leaders were declaiming against tne pronts of tne coal-owners, tne smile on the face of “D.A.” broadened as lie retorted to a deputation in ms suavest tones: -‘Then wny not invest the funds of the Miners' Union in mines? lou know tne industry, anti you can have mil facilities to become mine-owners.” It was the logical ‘belt-hander.” ’Hie deputation side-stepped and the round went to “Jekyll and Hyde." About that time 1 was in South Wines <says an English writer) listening to denunciations of the Head of tne vatnbrian Combine —as lie then was—as a hated oppressor. That evening 1 : attended a meeting in a district peopled entirely by working miners at wnicii he was to speak on education. Inside tne hali were fifteen hundred of tiiein, and outside another thousand awaited his coming, lhey cheered him wren Celtic lev v our, just as they used to when they sent linn tor over 20 years, as ,D. -v. Inomas, M.P., to represent them in the House of Commons by record majorities. Frankly,.he told me he was delighted with it, and that he was on good terms with himself. A ext to Ins smile and his jaw, his disarming candour is his greatest asset. Commercial success, political advancement, elevation to the peerage, have made no change in him. He hates cant. A good deal of nis influence among the Welsh people —apart from his complete understanding of their temperament—rests on their knowledge that they can talk to him as “man to man,” without pretence or affectation, and they’ wi.l receive the same measure in return. Even his opponents are “Jim’ ’and “Jack” to him in Wales.

Not for a moment will he deny that commercial success, money, power, and popularity attract him. His spirit rejoices in the contest. I fancy if he has his wishes he will be in harness when his last call comes. His tastes are simple, and I doubt if he has had to cut a single one of them to meet the Food ControLer’s ration scheme. His relaxation is farming—he has some wonderful Hereford cattle—his pride is in the ability of his daughter, Lady Mackworth, and his mental hobby is applied economics. A little while ago Mr. Prothero, President of the Board of Agriculture, met a friend in Whitehall. ‘‘l am going,” he said, ‘‘to call on Lord Rhondda to ask him to relax the by-laws restricting pig-keeping. I shall be back in a few minutes.” He was right, for he knew his man. Within fifteen minutes the matter was settled. It was a demonstration of the antidote to “Wait and See.”