LYONS THE MAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 15 April 1939, Page 14

LYONS THE MAN

GREAT QUALITIES WISDOM AND HUMAN TRAITS SYDNEY, Bth April. On Wednesday morning. Mr Lyons. | stricken gravely ill and suffering intense pain, was being taken to the hospital by his private secretary. Mr F X. Schneider, who is honorary secretary of the Royal Canberra G / Club. Mr Schneider was the only member of the Prime Minister’s staff with him in Sydney at the time. “I know you will be worrying about the Easter golf tournament,” Mr Lyons said to him. “Get up to Canberra. I’ll be all right.”

On Thursday morning one of Mr ; Lyons’s most intimate friends saw him for a few minutes. In an effort to cheer him up, he told him that this ill- ' ness would probably prove to be a blessing in disguise, because it would j compel him to take a rest from official 'duties. i “Yes,” the Prime Minister replied. “In future I intend to do less travelj ling. You know, the distances in Australia are so great." 1 In that first conversation you have | the key to Mr Lyons's character—utter ’ I unselfishness where his personal interests were concerned (wrote Mr j Irvine Douglas, former Private Secret- ! ary to Mr Lyons in the ‘‘N.Z. Herald"). : In the second, you have one of the !! reasons which contributed to his tooearly death. The strain of Prime Minj isterail office is terrific, in all con- , j science. Added to the sheer physical ' j labour involved in travelling from State | j to State, it is almost unbearable. TRUE GREATNESS I knew Joseph Aloysius Lyons, intimately for five years. 1 knew his moods and his little weaknesses and his great strength, for in him lay true greatness. He was a great politician and a great statesman, who combined in rare measure the qualities cf intense idealism and an almost uncanny realism. Not for nothing was he called "Honest Joe.” He was honest as the day. sincere, incapable of telling a deliberate falsehood. Shrewd he was, incapable of being trapped into making a politically indiscreet statement, but I think that every Pressman who has interviewed him—and while he was Prime Minister he was interviewed j twice every working day—will agree J that he never told an untruth or tried to mislead. Some have said that he was honest to the point of foolishness. I know that on the occasion of each of his return* from his visits abroad he has insisted upon making Customs declarations of the things he acquired on his travels. I know that he has paid out of his own pocket for travelling expenses that could legitimately be charged to the Government. I know that he has refused to accept contributions, honestly submitted, towards his personal election expenses. 1 know of a host of such things, which cannot be said while a man is living, which indeed, Lyons would never allow to be said if he were alive GREAT LOYALTIES He war a man of great loyalties. He was loyal to his family, to his country, to his religion, and to his “mates,” as he always spoke of his Cabinet colleagues. Once a certain colleague had said things about him, publicly and privately, which many considered disloyal. Lyons sent for this Minister. Addressing him by his Christian name, he said: “I cannot understand you. 1 have been racking my brains over and over again. I have tried to help you. I have championed you when others have detracted from you. But I cannot think of one disloyal thing I have ever done to you.” The abashed Minister was forced to admit that he could not either. His family life was impeccable. He lived for his wife and children, and the tragedy is that, while they are still young—only one of tthe eleven children is earning his own living—he has literally died for his country. I have spoken of his unselfishness. I am convinced that, personally, he never thought of himself. He would deny himself anything for his wife and children. Always he had to be persuaded to buy clothes for himself, or indeed to give himself any personal comforts. HUMAN TOUCH He was utterly without “side,” completely modest, lavish in the praise of others, chary to take personal credit. He disliked social life, yet he was always charming, perfectly at home in any company. He became an intimate friend of the late King George the Fifth, and of the present King and Queen, after his first meeting with them, and he was respected by the members of the British Cabinet—he held the confidence of three British Prime Ministers. Yet I have seen him perfectly at ease throwing darts with English yokels in a small inn in the Cotswolds, or quaffing a mug of beer with relief workers in Australia. I have seen him shake hands with Mussolini and remain in close conversation with him for half an hour, during which time II Duce spoke with the utmost frankness to him. I have seen him dining with President Roosevelt at the While House. I have seen him chatting with the Archbishop of Canterbury at a garden party given by the Archbishop in his honour. I have seen him at the table of the Imperial Conference. And in every instance he was Joe Lyons, unaffected, without “side,” lacking in airs and graces. He was a great lover of sport. In his younger days he was a footballer, cricketer, and runner, and once he competed in a wood-chopping contest. In recent years, golf—and an occasional game of tennis with his children—were the only games he was able to play, but nothing gave him greater pleasure than to watch a cycling race, a football or cricket match, or an athletic meeting. He was not particularly fond of horse-racing, though when he did go to the races he usually had a few modest bets—and usually won. He was only a fair golfer, though at times he showed really good form. SAGACITY AND JUDGMENT Yet, with all his simplicity and frankness, he was one of the most sagacious Cnen I have known. He was without doubt the cleverest politician in Australia. He was invariably a step ahead of his adversaries. His judgment was i uncanny, and his knowledge of character almost infallible. Though he never provoked a crisis, he was swift to act when action became necessary. , and the fact that for seven years he held together Ministries often composed , of warring elements is tribute to his wisdom, his understanding, and his political shrewdness. He has often been accused of weakness and vacillation, but history will ; probably show that what was mistaken for weakness was a careful weighing of i circumstances and a decision to take i the only course that would not result I j in the disruption of his Ministry at a ] time when he felt that disruption would ] be disastrous for the country. I know that for long he has looked forward to i the serenity of private life, but that i whenever he has talked of retirement • the supporters of his party have urged r him to remain at the helm. Less than a fortnight ago he told me that he would step down that day if the Government parties could agree upon a successor. Had he stepped down then there is j

little doubt that he would be alive today. To-day “The Chief,” as we called him, is no more. In the service of his country death has taken one of the wisest, most human, most understanding, and most tolerant men the public life of Australia has known. Those hundreds of lame dogs of all classes and creeds whom he has helped over the stile will mourn him; those thousands who have experienced his little unobtrusive kindnesses will feel that they have lost a friend. No public man has had fewer personal enemies. No Federal leader has had more personal friends on both sides of the House. Australia has lost a man in w’hom there existed no bitterness, in whose mind there was room for no pettiness, 'in whose heart there was nothing but love of all the worthwhile things of life. For my part, I feel that I have lost more than one for whom nearly five years I regarded as The Chief. I feel almost that I have lost a member of my own family.