HERO OF LOCARNO PACT

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2311, 2 December 1925, Page 3

HERO OF LOCARNO PACT

SIR AUSTEN CHAMRERLAN NOW. CHEATED KNIGHT OF THE GARTER. LONDON, November 29. Mr. Austen Chamberlain (British Foreign Minister), who was the mail, author of the Locarno Treaty, to in signed to-day in London, has bcei created Knight of th e Garter. Mrs. Chamberlain has been made a Dame of the British Empire. A DISTINGUISHED CAREER. Though Sir Austen Chamberlain has long been one of the most xirominem figures in British politics, cariying on the ideals of the great member fo; Birmingham, Mr. Joseph Chamber lain, he was in his earlier years some what overawed by the career of hr father. A change camo during - th< years of the war, when the son rea lised that in him was the seed oi greatness every bit as strongly do velopcd as it had been in the case 01 his parent. For nearly thirty yean he sat in the House of Commons bo fore ho rea'i r d th e grip he had on that assembly Thon his oratory tools on a more y-ssured tone, his outlook became wider, and his administrative experience allowed him to view his subject with a better grasp of its essentials. The war years gave him his opportunity, as it has done many others. He had previously emerged from positions at the Admiralty, the Post Office, the Treasury, the India Office, and the Foreign Office, and in each lie had shown marked administrative ability. But now ho became a much bigger person than had, been the case of a few years previously. Then came the great international conferences after the years of war, and here again he showed his ability as one who, both by heredity and training, was able to serve his country well. During the most recent of these conferences, that at Locarno, his was the dominating figure, and a groat deal of the success attained can probably be iaid to his credit. At any rate, the honour that has now been put upon him in being raised to the ranks o£ the highest knighthood of the British people is a fitting tribute of the nation’s thanks for the arduous work carried out at Locarno, where his oratory and knowledge of international politics helped to bring about such a desirable result. Personally ho is a man of simple tastes and charming disposition. His tail figure, his pale, rather angular face, his light-colour-ed eyes, which have a trick of appearing to bo always unusually wide op'm, the somewhat cold t3r.es of his voice, his almost meticulous concern about detail that most men would brush aside or skim over, and the swiftness with which he sometimes falls into a mood of icy severity have helped to build up around him a legend of aloofness which is entirely false. He is strangely enough, considering his long experience of public life —a remarkably shy' man-, but break down that shyness and you find behind It a warm-hearted, genial being with a sunny disposition, an attractive smile, a gift of enjoyable conversation, a penetrating but tolerant insight into human nature, a great capacity for friendship, and a quiet turn of humour. A “homely” man, one who likes to “put on his pipe” and chat only less than he likes to become young again with his family. His great quality, both In his politics and his private life, is that he “rides straight ” His Word, once it is given, is his bond. Twice he has missed the Premiership owing to the exigencies of party, and the missing must have hurt him fearfully, but he has merely screwed his monocle more firmly' in and awaited the next opportunity of helping his country and his party. Above all, he is a \'ery real Parliamentarian, and a very gentlemanly politician, desetiptlons that are not always applicable to on e and the same man. Dams Ivy Muriel Chamberlain, his wife, is the daughter of the late Colonel Henry Lawrenc.p Dundas. She | has a’ways taken a prominent interest .in her husband’s political career, and ' dur’ng the trying years of the war devoted a’: great deal of her time to national work. Their family consists of two sons and a daughter, who arc all in their "teens.”