WHY NOT CHURCHILL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 80, 16 March 1936, Page 7

WHY NOT CHURCHILL

BRITISH DEFENCE POST Inskip “Inappropriate” APPOINTMENT UNPOPULAR (By Telegraph—Press Aeeocietioa.e (Received 16. 10.80 a.m.) LONDON, March 15. The “Observer,” In an editorial regards Sir Thomas Inskip’s appointment as astonishing. It declares: “An admirable man was never appointed to a more inappropriate office. This is a grave matter tor the nation. Mr. Baldwin moves In a mysterious way In connection with important offices. There can be no safety In depending cn him in defence issues. Ths appoinement is a severe public misfortune.”

Sir Austin Chamberlain and Mr, Winston Churchill both spoke at Birmingham, Sir Austen expressing the regret of many members of the House of Commons that Mr. Churchill bad not been made Defence Minister.

Mr. Churchill sat expressionless ami declined afterward to comment.

Sir Thomas Tnsklp, speaking at Southampton, said he was aware that his appointment had caused surprise. He declared that he was not Minister

of Defence, his duty being to co-ordin-ate defence measures.

Lord Strabolgi, in an interview, eaid he regarded the appointment as grotesque. He declared that a lawyer was not the man for the job. The Solicitor-General, Sir Donald Somervell, succeeds Sir Thomas Inskip as Attorney-General. Mr. T. J. o’Connor, a member of the House of Commons, succeeds Sir Donald Somervell. Sir Thomas Inskip has had * notable political career, and since 1922, whenever his party has been in office, he has been in an important post. Sir Thomas entered the House of Commons in 1918, being elected by Bristol Central Division, and his decision to embark cn a political career ro lowed on appoinlii.iuts in the legil field, lie had taken silk in 1914, twelve yr-a't afiJt he was culled to the Bar, and in 1920 he was made Chancellor ot thb Diocese of Truro. In 1918 he was h<ad of the Bn al Law Branch cf tin Admiralty, atd in 1918-19 was Ada-rally represeniativi on the War Crimes Coinmission.

When Mi Hirer Law formed tfs Government ir 1922 he tboss Sir Thomas J.nskip as Solicitor®; eticri.l, aril when Sir Douglas Hogg was do vateii to the House ot Lords, Nr Thomas iiucceioed to the post cf Atlor-ney-Gereral. The Government went out of office, but in 1931 he became Silicitor-Goneral once more. The following iear he was again appointed Attorney-Geaeral. He is now 5J yen is old, and is poeseraed of a massve personality, g’.eat industry which Ins gained for him the reputation of legal soundness, profound evangelical einvicrions, a care and anxiety in preparation of a case which has led (o his every utterance in the House being invested with a force of thorough sincerity, and a shade of idealism which is pu-ibly unusual in members of the Bar.

Sir Tkcmae has achieved ma'y things which h-' set out for, notl'ilr the Parliamentary defeat of the Praye: Book measure in 1927. A number of times he has taken the field for the Government in matters outside his province, one of them being daring the debate on the Trade Unions measure of severnl years ago. He wis born in Bristol, his father being a wellknown solicitor in that city, and ba married Lady Augusta Boyle, widow of the 'ate Mr Charles Orr Ewing, MP. and daughter of the seventh Lar! of Glasgow.

PRIME MINISTER’S MOTIVE

RUGBY, March 15. Ihe Prime Minister's choice of Sir Thomas Inskip for th< new Cabinet position of Mm stcr foi the co-ordiua-t.ion of Defence was unexpected in political circles, and comment in this n.'-tning’s papers is largely expressive of this surprise; but, except for one or two doubts expressed as to whether the new Minister, who is known chief. If as an able lawyer and a doughty champion against reform of the Prayer Book, has sufficient imagination and receptiveness to new ideas for the great task which lies before him, the selection is generally well received. It is recognised that the overmastering consideration in the Prime Minister’s mind in rejecting other candidates whose names have been canvassed widely in the last few weeks has been a desire that the new Minister should not have previous political connections with one or other of the Deirnce departments nor be prominently associated in the public mind with particular international policies «o that., as “The Times' says, his appointment nt this particular moment in the world's affairs might be misunderstood or misrepresented..