A "HUSTLER" BEHIND THE SCENES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 196, 8 May 1918, Page 6

A "HUSTLER" BEHIND THE SCENES

LORD BEAVERBROOK

SKETCH OF LITTLE-KNOWN MINISTER

When Mr. Lloyd George formed his Government, after accomplishing the overthrow of Mr. Asquith'e Coalition Minietry, it was said by all unsympathetic critic (says the London correspondent of tho Melbourne "Age") that lie had acted on the principlo that every man in Parliament with an income of over .C 50,000 a year ought to be a Minister. With an eyo to building up a fund to fight the next general election, Mr. Lloyd George offered places in his Ministry to some of the members of Parliament who have inndc fortunes in business. But from tho public point of view the reason offered for their inclusion in the Ministry was that the country in this time of crisis needed the practical experience of men who bad succeeded in tho management of their own nfl'airs. Lord Beaverbrook, the latest addition | to Mr. Lloyd George's Ministry, is a financier who is said to be a millionaire. Hn is a Canadian "Tnisflor"— a fact that accounts for his rapid rise in British Political life, and also for the antagonism with which the standard types of British politicians regard him. He has j been in England only eight years, and in that time has become a member of the House of Comons. a knight, a baronet, a peer of the realm, and a Cabinet Minister. But in spite of his meteoric career the general public knows very little about him. In the past his political activities have not brought him into tho limelight. Inside or outside Parliament lie has never made a speech of any consequence. And yet he is one of the political forces which accomplished the downfall of Mr. Asquith's Government, mid made Mr. Lloyd fleorge the head of a Government supported by Conservatives who were accustomed to look upon him as their most dangerous enemy. Lord Beaverbrook, who was born 33 years ago at New Brunswick, is the son of a Presbyterian minister. He began life a's private secretary to a Canadian man of business, and he was scarcely out of his teens before he launched out for himself as a financier. He made money rapidly in the flotation of companies, and arriving in England on a holiday in 1910 he offered himself as Unionist candidate for a .seat that lookied hopeless. He won tho seal, and em- ; barked on his political career. With the arrival of the Canadian Expeditionary I Force in France he got himself appointed j as Canadian Official Correspondent, but I lie soon grew tired of the work of war correspondent, and returned to London to take charge of the Canadian War Kecords. He took a prominent part in the underground engineering which resulted in a pit king dug under Mr. Asqnith's feet. Sir Edward Carson, who had resigned from Mr. Asquith's Gowrnmcnt in disgust at its hesitating pdicv in the conduct of the war, was the chief instrument in tho accomplishment of Mr. As(liiith's downfall. It. was at tho house of Lord Beaverbrook (then Sir Max Aitkon) that Sir Edward Carson and Mr. Lloyd George met to discuss their plans. Mr. Lloyd George vrnss Minister of War in Mr. Asqintli'e Government, and the preparations for displacing Mr. Asqnith Intel to be carried out witli great secrecy. As a reward for his share in tho matter, Sir Max Aiikon was cTevaieii to the peerage immediately after Mr. Lloyd George's Ciovcriiineiit was installed in office.

An admiring American journalist writes of Lord Beavorbrook: "No appraisal of thosbusiness brains running England to-day would be complete without the inclusion of one (.f tho most remarkable iiiul leasl-lcnowu pcreonalilics in British public life. AVithout holding any definite public ufiieo, his iniluonuu roaches, (o all offices; without figuring an a factor in its achievement:, ho was instrumental in making possible fho Premiership ;of Lloyd George, and, through that act, the setting up of a Government by business. Such is tho unique performance of Lord Beaverbrook—an advenlure in public life almost without parallel. It was Xortheliffe with his newspapers who pul over the barrage that, as far as the public knew, launched Ihe great olfensivo against the Asquith Ministry, but it was Beaverbrook behind the. scones who stormed and carried the trenches. J?or his labours in this crisis he got his peerage. When Sir Edward Carson resigned from Mr Lloyd George's Government in order to resume activities as Ulster's leader in tho Irish question, Lord Beaverbrook put in hie claim.-; for promotion to Ministerial rank. And Mr. Lloyd George, whose defects do not include ingratitude, immediately recognised them, .bir Mward Carson was a Minister without a portfolio, his (ime 'wing occupied witll ■ the. consideration of the momentous questions that came before the inner Ministerial circle known as tho War Übhint. But Low! Bcaverbrook's pnblio services are so little known that his inclusion in the inner War Cabinet would havo added nothing to the Governments strength, and would have created a great deal of jealousy in the outer Ministerial circle. Therrfn* Lord Beaverbrook was given an outside post-that of Minister of Propaganda. The creation of the new Ministry of Propaganda would have necessitated the passing of a U U through Parliament. In order to escape this difficult task in a House of Commons which views with alarm the largo number of new departments with enormous start's which have been established during the war, and in order to deprive Lord Beaverbrook's enemies in the House of Commons of the opportunity of 1 crit : ciein? -his qualifications for Minis- ! terial rank. Lord Cnwley wiis induced to resign his Cabinet post ns Chanceli lor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in order : that Lord Beaverbrook might have it, j and might combine the post of Minister ! of Pronaiiuulii with it. ' The "Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster is an old-established post, tho dut'es of whidi are merely nominal. Before the war the post carried a snlarv of .C'2ooo a year, but since tho war Ministerial salaries have been pooled. It was to tho Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster that Mr. Winston Churchill was appointed by Mr. Asquith in lfll'i after the quarrel between Mr. Churchill and Admiral Lord Fisher, which resulted in both of them leaving the Adnrr- : alty. Mr. Churchill accepted the post : of 'Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancasi tor from Mr. Asquith on the undorstand- | ing that a more important post would I be found for him after t>'C confusion

caused by the explosion in the Admiralty had been cleared uy>; but ; his hopes were disappointed, and finally he resigned, in disgust from what he contemptuously referred to as the "well-paid inactivity" of the Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster, and dramatically bade farewell io tho House of Commons. _in order to serve his country in a military capacity in Franc*. But in a few months Mr. Winston Churchill' tired of the illpaid activity of a- military career, and returned to' Win House of Commons in order to further his political prospects. A close friendship has snvnng up between Mr. Churchill and Lord Benverbrook. Thoy are both examples of the type which believes in nushiim itself forward. Mr. Winston Churchill, like Lord Benverbrook, in a "hustler." But, whereas Mr. Churchill has passion for illbe limelight and for public applause, Lord Beaverbronlc nrofers to do his work unseen. Probably his training as a financier is lwnonsible for what is remarkable modesty in a politician. When his elevation to tho peerage was announced a correspondent of the "Morning Poet" Kugffosted Hint if lie was in nnv difficulty about selecting a suitable tilln ho should choose Hint of Lord Buntv, in compliment to "Bunty Pulls the Strings."