MR. HERBERT SAMUEL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 407, 16 January 1909, Page 15

MR. HERBERT SAMUEL.

RISING LIBERAL MINISTER. Tho sucocss of tlio autumn -session (writos tho,-' Parliamentary ' corrosponilent:. of , tho "Daily Mail") has been, by almost general consont tho young Liberal Minister who is responsible,for tho .Children .Bill," which tomorrow oomes up for third rending in the Houso of Lords; Mr. Herbert.Samuel, Un-der-Secretary. of State for the Homo Department, lias in tho past-few months mado for himself a great Parliamentary reputation. The Children's Charter, as ;it is called j is a somewhat complicated measure, which, while • consolidating various, Acts of Parliament relating" to- strikes out boldly, along, new lines of .legislation. ~ , . There was a chorus of approval when tho Bill! was introduced; by, Mr. Samuel. His speech, powerful, lucid, and persuasive, created.'a deep impression, in 'overjj part of_'tho House, t Since .tberi some .details havo been criticised, but' oii' the, whole, there' has been a remarkable agreement in both Houses of Parliament as;to tho.merit of tlio measure. Compliments were showered on the young Under-Secretary ...for •: . the . .extremely clear way • in which tho ..intricate.' Bill t had, been : drafted. Compliments ; 'were/ also, .showered . on ihini foi - : his original -lines of policy; and, 'friends and bjjporiehts, alilte, - for: the mas-' terly way in which I .,he -;lias. dealt with the Bill :iiv y debate '.through • its; numerous' .stages. ■ -The . Archbishop of Canterbury,.the.;. .Prime Minister, and the Leaders of '■ the Opposition havo all borno tributo to his ability. . Suddenly Acclaimed a Statesman. This shy-looking, - young Under-Socrotary was-,-: suddenly . acclaimed :"a statesman. , Ho . went on to further, acliiovements.'. Mr. Asquitli . entrusted liim. with some of :the:_iuost debatable sections: of the Licensing ;Bill in tho..Committee.stage.of the Houso of- Coni- ,. mons. Ho rapidlj-' proved that whatever muddling thei'O 'might bo' of, the 'Bill, the of Stato for the Homo De- - partment' was. not, tho muddler.' Yvhether ' right he was always clear, both in language and intention. The Houso realised what it had suspected some time before, that, apart from Mr. Asquith himself, there is in the Assembly no more lucid esponcnt of tho complex and complicated than Mr. Herbott Samuel. \ :. §.: ~ ~ ■ Olio of the. niqst'.extraprdiiiiryi; situations ever witnessed by tlio House , has , been-that of the /Under-Secretary conducting a,Bill-day by day while' his official superior, tlio Homo Secretary, sat silent by his side,: for Mr. Herbert Gladstone, from some eauso or othor; has .taken- little or no.part in the Licensing Bill discussions. v Mr;' Herbert: Louis Samuel is .tho son oiMr. Edwin Louis Samuel, a banker, of Livor-j pool, and after, .receiving .the ' first part or his"' education at University' Collego. School went to Oxford, ~where; . -his o.keeri interest in politics, .was abundantly demonstrated.: As ;an'un(lorgraduato ho gained facility in pubile : speaking, and was soon rccogniscd as one.,of those effective enthusiasts who'think and act - aB; well as talk. At twenty-fivo lie fough* South Osfordshir'o and lost. He fought it again "in 1000 and lost again. Defeat, however, ojily stimulated him. In 1902 ho Becured a seat as tlio representative of tho Cleveland division of Yorkshire.

A Liberal Text-book. / ' Ho had- not . been idle in the -meantime,■for during the; seven years from 1395. to . 1902 lie: bad. been honorary secretary, of. 'tlio Home Counties' Liberal : Federation, in which prist lie "familiarisecr iiimsc-lf witli the work •; o! organisation..: At the. ago of: thirty-two ho' Wrote a-book on "Liberalism: Its Principles and- Proposals," which, has practically become- a Liberal text-book. Yt'hen tho Liberal party came into powor ho was mado Under-Secretary of tho 'Home Offico .under Mr. Herbert Gladstone.' ■ '. At the.beginning of;this.Parliament' mcm°V „be«;. had ..no., .y.ery,;; A e.saltedideas.c. of. Mrl Samuel; ■< .TDheyr regardedy liira i'-asj'a. rather. clever youngv doctrinaire.'; politician, persistent in character ojid quiet in manner, but .without the carryV;himVt<)":'hig!v distinctfon.. .' Hb looked' then, as ho looks nowytho most unobtrusive of men. 'There was always a touch of tho j studious boy about him. At present, although in reality thirty-eight, ho might easily be taken for thirty. .Ho is a young man with' jet-black hair surmounting an oval, dark-complexioned face, v and -he has a trim little .blapli moustache. His dark eyes aro dreamy; and-lazy. His face is- never,stirred ' by.; worry,, and.seldom by 'laughter;: : He'sits among Ministers ' the most- placid, of thbm . all : His,.forehead is always serene.and un- . wrinkled,'and no stab ofargunient sendß'an expression across his. 1 features.': Ha; seems always M bo dreaming of ftir-oß,things. His opponents now feel considerable distrust of that seeming placidity. : '• Mr. Samuel and Mr. Rufus' Isaacs. ' • Mr, Samuel is, of course, a Jew. . He is in marked_ contrast to .'.that distinguished',.co-' ■ religionist, Mri Rufus-Isaacs, who.sits on the bench; just behind him. . Mr. .Isaac's,is.a man whoso face ripples with expression. In repose, or in .speech' his face 'always'tells ' its . tale,->ind his .-'"glittering'-', eyes. and mobile mouth play a great part in his personality: Not so with Mr. Samuel. Ho; does not even look .clever. ;At first glance' one might talco liim • for commonplace. It would bo the ... greatest possible mistake. ■ty!iiat;has gained for him his great success? His ;' very placidity has - helped, but ho has. ■ a .qualities'"which; have contributed to this end.', First and' fpremost' is the'nEver- ' wavering- determination: concealed; .behind • his' ■ :';Nextis !an ; infinite' capacity, for,taking; pains." he has not merfely.'a. wonderful .fluency, .but ; ari 'extraordinary clearness;of .expression. .. . . Hodiffers from the l'rinie Minister in that he does not adopt Mr. Asquith's - scornful, take-itr"or-leave-ifc 'manner. Ho nuts his exposition with remarkable swiftness, but with remarkable suavity,, and' somehow! makes his, , point /ofiview; so obviously, attractive that: it. is, often difficult for his political opponents to . disagree with him He. has a pose of his • . own-on ", the Treasury; bench. Ho dees riot lounge like Mr. Balfour, Mr! Asquith, .'and '. ;: .ot.her old parliamentarians; he sits,bolt,up- " right, with a. certain alertness , in his body which is not to te found in his;face.' He is never flustered. ' He remains .cross-legged - during the debate which' affects him, and makes notes 011 a strip of paper. He is tho picture of preciseness. ; Methods of Debate. An outsider coming fresh to the House would quickly realise his ■'. mistake if he ;; thought. it an easy: matter to score off this apparently ' easy-going and dreamy-eyed' : young Minister. He is as swift in debate ; , as, Mr.' Lloyd-George or Mr: Chamberlain, .;. but he has . this extraordinary difference: bis most' deadly arguments are. always put forward in a soft,.conciliatory tone of voice. '■ His grasp faetsns marvellous. He throws them at. opponents with a softness that is bewildering. If ho smothers them with his reasons, he smothers them gently. He endeavours to crush opponents not by hit manner but by the weight of his'facts. He is never at a loss. Tho most complicated calculation by ail opponent finds him instantly ready. -Tlie most remote effect of an incidentakpart of. the measure under his charge- will bo- instantly dealt with. , And on every question' raised ho gives one the impression that this is the problem above nil others with which he is qualified to deal, He is not a maker of epigrams; ho does not sparkle.' And yet he has, from'his lucidity, a brilliance of his own. !■■''" Here is one of the little'things which indicate why ,Mr. : Samuel: is a success. He was some years ago one ■of the loading spirits- in the crusade conducted against . cruelties on "the Congo. He went out to Centra}'. Africa, .'examined'the conditions 011 the ;spdt,' arid even went to the length of takin:;' a '.number' of photographs. It .was largely owing to Ma .representations that the International Commission of Inquiry '.was appointed, 0. ■: -. ■ : : He is not without a sense of humour. He has'offered £100 reward to anyone who can , provoi'''•conclusively, from -..Mr'.'!: Balfour's speeches that the latter! is a;Freetrader, a Protectionist, neither, or both. Mr. Samuel has. jiist. been made a Privy Councillor. There" is no doubt in'the House of Commons that when the ■■next vacancy occurs in the Liberal Cabinet he will be : the man selected to fill it.