Sir Stafford Cripps, Idealist

Northern Advocate, 9 February 1942, Page 2

Sir Stafford Cripps, Idealist

SIR Stafford Cripps, one of the greatest lawyers who have graced the British bar, a man who has earned huge sums of money, and who might continue to do if he so wished, has declared that he will not accept another brief, so that he may devote himself to Parliamentary life. In acting as he has done, Sir Stafford has demonstrated his devotion to the ideal of helping the world to escape a repetition of the horrors through which it is passing. His ideas on national and international affairs may not make universal appeal to his countrymen, but he is unquestionably a man who, if he is spared, will go far to bring about the revolution in thought and methods which he is convinced must come if the nations are to be saved from destruction.

Expelled by the Labour Party not so long ago because his ideas were too radical, Sir Stafford Cripps went to Russia as Britain’s Ambassador. Today, thanks very largely to him, Russia and Britain are allied in a great crusade. It was believed, when he left Russia, that he would go to India as Viceroy, but apparently he feels that Britain must change her attitude to India before he can usefully take up office at New Deihi. Who knows when Britain may make the change, and entrust Sir Stafford with the solution of a problem which, more than any of the grave problems confronting the Empire, calls for superlative statesmanship?