“WHO’S WHO”

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1930, Page 7

“WHO’S WHO”

(Otago Daily Times )

• In order that a man may icceive mention in “Who’s Who” he must !>e born great, or lie must achieve greatness. The ways of the editor of this Bible of biographies may be inscrutable, but he lias his own yardstick, and those who measure up to it are received; the others are thrust into outer darkness, to remain unhonoured and unsung, or to write revealing autobiographies. Charles Spencer Chaplin, for instance, who has made the world laugh, receives three inches of space in which to describe himself; M. Stalin, the dictator of Soviet Russia, is not given any space at all. Mr Chaplin, incidentally, confesses that ho is a “gifted musician,” and then asserts, somewhat obscurely, that he favours, however, the violin and pipe organ. But space is not the criterion by which are judged those who are named among the 35,000 people in “Who’s Who, • fer some men are taciturn, telling only what they must, and others are communicative, telling more than they need. One worthy explains his raison d’etre os “father Scottish, mother vSeofoeli-It'isli,” and Signor Mussolini belies his facial immobility with the admission that he has many recreations, “violino, equatazione, schema, automobilismo, aviazione;” —a pleasing modern variation of the philosophy of a noble count of the eighteenth century who confessed to a

liking for “Mossetto, bassetta, donnett, a,”

Mr Ramsay MacDonald, as befits a man in llis high position, confines himself to bare facts, the most striking naturally being “Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury since 19. ( J.” Mr Baldwin is equally unimaginative, but Mr Lloyd George takes some pains to gloss over the fact that lie, a Welshman, was born at Manchester, liv revealing liis relationship to somebody at Mynvddednyfed, Criccieth, and the fact that lie was educated at Llanyßtymdwy. Mr Jones, M.P<i—Mr Jones of the House of Commons, not Mr Jones, of the House of Representatives—is not alloyed to call himself plain Jack, for lie claims the alternative names John Joseph. His only publication bears the title “My Lively Life,” which members of the Commons will agree is near the truth, but* an unlivelv position, surely is that which ho has occupied for twenty-six years as a member of the West Ham Town Council.

“Who’s Who” will allow no democratic trifling with titles. The consort of Baron Pass field, of Passfisld Corner, in spite of her public protestations that she shall be known as Mrs Webb, is duly listed: “Passfield, Lady; Beatrice.” Mr J. H. Thomas spurs the opportunity to woo popularity by referring to his new nickname “Sunny Jim,” • and although possibly he takes pride in his rise from errand boy to Lord Privy Seal he does not comment on this achievement, which speaks for itself, but lets drop an indication of a past ambition that was fulfilled when from being a.ll engine-cleaner lie worked up “stage to stage as fireman and engine-driv-er.

Tlio first Viscount Brentford, of Newick, better known at Homo a.s “Jix” or sometimes as Sir William Joynson-Hicks, conceals any sorrow that may have come to him when the results went lip after the last General Election in the statement that lie was member of Parliament for the Twickenham Division of Middlesex, 1918-29. His varied activities should console him somewhat for the loss of his seat, a.s he writes on any kind of subject from the law of traction on highways to temperance. Mr A. V. Alexander, whose present interest is with the Admiralty, has had other enthusiasms, and was “for many years a Baptist lay preacher.”

Like their fellows in Great Britain our own Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition are modest in their demands on space, but Mr Henry Bid in und Holland, the Leader of the Labour Party, takes readers into his confidence and relates that he “suffered imprisonment” on three occasions owing to his writings and speeches in connection with industrial troubles and that he. “came to New Zealand for his health” in 1912. Among his other accomplishments Mr Holland does not forget to mention a. hook of verse, “lied Roses on the Highways,” though whether it is a commentary on the position in which his party at present finds itself is not recorded,

Mr Bernard Shaw is generally regarded as one of the most original of men. but he realises that originality is not the passoort to “Who’s Who,” and in the 1930 edition remains faithful to liis principles as laid down long ago; “Diet: vegtarian. Recreation; anything except sport. Trade Union: Society of Authors, Playwrights and Composers.” Mr Beverley Nichols, being younger'and therefore more talkative, states that lie lias “visited and candidly commented upon most of the countries of the world.” but this is scarcely a« candid as Mr Hugh Walpole’s avowed preference for two recreations, “walking, talking;” nor as provocative of conjecture as Sir William Orpen’s recreation. “Fitzwilliam HI B;” nor as tersely enigmatical ns a woman novelist’s statement: “Art education, Roman Catholic, Liberal.” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mentions the fact that he has travelled ill the Arctic regions, but makes no reference to his journeyings in the unseen world, and Mr A nold Bennett surprisingly discloses the Christian name of Enoch, and

says that he abandoned the law to edit a women’s journal. Mr H. G. Wells deals at length with his erudite publications, omitting any reference to “The Adventures of -Tommy;”- a book for children which admittedly is not written in his usual style, and Mr Edgar Wallace fails completely to remember the names of all the books he has written, since he includes a multitude of “thrillers” under the general title “etc..” Those who are interested in mysteries might ponder whether Mr Wallace’s telegraphic address, “Fogopolo Weso London” has any concealed significance, or they might wonder at the thoroughness of a cleric in Christchurch, New Zealand, who gives his telephone number. “Wlio’b Who” is. above all things, discreet, and of the most romantic figure in contemporary life nothing is related that, dolonel T. E. Lawrence wishes to forget. His name was changed to Shaw by Heed Poll in 1927, he states, and his most exciting activity would appear to have been as assistant in the British Museum’s excavation of Carehemih on the Euphrates, 1910-11.