CHATHAM HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20338, 20 August 1929, Page 7

CHATHAM HOUSE.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.

ENDOWMENT OF RESEARCH.

SIR ABE BAILEY'S FINE GIFT.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, July 12. Sir 'Abe Bailey has offered to provide £SOOO a year for the upkeep of Chatham House, the homo of the Royal Instituto of International Affairs, and to make the gift perpetual by settling £IOO,OOO for tho purpose in his will.

At a dinner in honour of Sir Abe and Lady Bailey, givan at tho Mansion House by the Lord Mayor, the Prince of Wales presided. "The Institute of International Affairs," said the Prince in proposing the principal toast, "was founded during _ tho Paris Peace Conference for . the study of international-affairs by men of the great British Commonwealth of Nations. They had at that time very good cause to realise that in suspicion lay the source of fears which goad -nations to war and that the cure for suspicion was knowledge. Only by knowledge of the facts is it that understanding between nations can be secured, and it-was to collect this treasure of. knowledge and : make' it valuable in business.-as well as. in politics that this institute: was: -called into -being. Its range of activity and usefulness 1 lias steadily grown.,- till" to-ili#Hfc ' these who built and- launched' tlfri yessol - : 10" years ago find it now Ji/recognised success.

Magnificeat H6nle Given. "Six years ago -I-;. accepted?-from- two Canadian, friends of this- institute, ..Colonel and Mrs. Leonard;, a house in ;.Sl, James' Square,. in which ■ Chatham,/ Derby and Gladstone had-all lived. • I;accepted that historic house as a heme -fyr this institute. . - To - this ; generous gift. ■ was added by Sir John Power a beautiful hall built by. a renowned architect; - Sir Herbert Baker, situated.. behind Chatham House. Now tho donors had sensibly, inquired, previously to making this gift, as to tho : cost of maintaining it, and whether the- institute could undertake to raise the revenue required. It was estimated that at least £IO,OOO a year would be needed to conduct the' Work of international research on an' adequate scale, apart from the ordinary running expenses which members could provide. "Sir Abe Bailey has given me a winner or two before now. He has put money on many a dark horse in his time, and he saw such a dark horse in Chatham House. (Laughter and cheers.) Last year ha wrote to me saying that Chatham House was exactly the kind of institution needed to realise the ideals of his old friend Cecil Rhodes, but the most striking thing in his letter was an offer to provide £SOOO a year as an endowment for this great institute and to make tho gift perpetual by settling £IOO,OOO for the purpose in his will. (Cheers.) How glad was I to accept this splendid offer, and I am as glad to-night to pay my tribute to the public spirit of Sir Abo Bailey which inspired the gift. With one magnificent stroke o£ his pen he has halved our burden." Lord Grey of Fallodon and Mr. J. H. Thomas supported the toast. Memories ot Rhodes, - • Sir Abe .Bailey,- responding, thanked the Prince for. his appreciative references to himself • and Lady Bailey. He said it was his good fortune while a youth to strike a friendship with Mr. Cecil Rhodes, .the great white chieftain whose spirit permeated still the whole of Africa. He conformed to the religion of Empire, which none who knew him could mistake. They had but to look at the map of Africa to see the results of his unfaltering and unceasing devotion to England, the Empire and South Africa. He was a man of peace. His last will, the greatest end most generous public will in all history, testified to his belief and faith in. the union of the English-speaking races as the best method of promoting justice, liberty and peace throughout the world, and if he had been alive to-day he would have been a supporter of that institute. The institute stood for no political party, and the Prince of Wales, accepting the office of visitor of tho institute, accepted the .responsibility of seeing its charter observed.. The institute was founded to cultivate an international outlook and to . assist - in . bringing ' the peoples of the world to regard each other as natural friends. Through tho- tremendous development in .communication, air travel and -wireless.: to _ all paws of "the world the vajrioUs. Tac.es o£ mankind-■ were being brought anto- closer .-contact, i -JRie Governments-„ot ;t he Empire and .national policy must .keep- pace -with, the great advance in the mechanism-of communication, and the; institute" w'o'nlcL' allow sonal contact -between Then -who- moulded public opinion . .and directed publfc policy, without which tho League of- Nations" would fail in ' its'" object". Information gathered hy the institute 'would wiahlp us to see onrselveS'as others saw us, and perhaps prevent 'tis from lecturing .other nations unwisely. . ■