THE MAN OF THE HOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1281, 6 August 1914, Page 4

THE MAN OF THE HOUR.

SIR EDWARD GREY. CHARACTER STUDY OF THE FOREIGN SECRETARY. No figure among present day statesmen presents a more interesting study than Sir Edward Grey. In point of career and character, lie is without a prototype, either in the Cabinet or in the House of Commons. When he was forty-five he was directing the Jiritis.li nation’s foreign affairs, and today is in his fifty second year, fie occupies a commanding position m international politics. Sir Edward (according to Connie Cqlquhoun in an article in a recent magazine) is not an ambitious man. Surprised as the statement , may seem, it is, nevertheless, made with a full knowledge of the right honourable baronet's predilections, lie is a statesman in spite of himself. How comes it, then, that he occupies one of the scuts of the mighty, without having put forth any special effort to secure it? To begin with, he belongs to a race of statesmen. His great-uncle was Earl Grey of Reform fame, and bis grandfather was a Minister of tho Crown, lie lias, therefore, inherited tho genius of statesmanship, and is exorcising it, though his personal inclinations arc such as may bo said to constitute the simple life—the life as it is lived amid fields and woods, and by the side of rushing st,reams. Give him a. tennis bat and a fishing rod, place him where he can pursue bis hobby of natural history, and then with Sir Edward “all’s right in the world." He would rather deliver a lecture on the habits of birds and fishes iu the Working -fieri s Club at Emblcton, Northumberland, than speak in the House of Commons. Farming and gardening oiler more attractions to him than a Minister’s portfolio. And yet, notwithstanding his hobbies, which he .has followed to tho top of Iris bent —for. he has l.cn amateur champion tennis-player of England, and has written what is regarded ns an authoritative treatise on fly-fishing —hero he is to-day, his Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Me has gone far, and most students of politics have confidently prophesied that ho will go further. But t.hi* is no new prophesy. I heard it uttered twenty years ago in. circumstances which are worth recalling. In 1836, when Sir Edward Grey was twentyfour years of age. and new to Parliamentary life, ho was one of the principal speakers at a mooting at Nowcastlc-on-Tyno iu Mip|Kirfc % of Mr Morley, who was seeking reelection on his appointment as Chief Secretary for Ireland.

The slim, agile figure and the boyish face presented a striking contrast to the greybeards on Mr Morlcy’s platform. When bo rose, the- most that the audience expected were a few timid words. But the first, sentence ho uttered showed that the grandnephew of the great Reformer had that stuff in him which goes to the mailing of successful statesmen. After he had spoken for half an hour, a member of tlio audience, who had been heard to remark that Mr Morley must have been hard pressed for speakers when he invit 'd this very young man to support him. (suddenly waxed enthusiastic, and exclaimed: “That young man will go far; he will become Premier some day.’’ A bold prophesy at tho time, perhaps, but there is nothing singular about it now in the light of Sir Edward’s subsequent career, and the position he now occupies in the councils of the nation, HIS CAREER. What has been Sir Edward Grey’s career; It has prjsented nothing meteoric or startling, and certainly there has not been the least trace of puslifulness on bis part. It can be set forth in a few words. Educated at Winchester and Bailiol College, Oxford, his first, taste of public life was as private secretary to Sir Evelyn Baring, now Lord Cromer. Subsequently he acted in a similar capacity to Mr Childers when that statesman was Chancellor of the. Exchequer. In 1885, he found a wife and const ifuency. marrying Miss Widdringkui—belonging to an old Northumberland family famous in song and .story —and representing (lie Ber-kick-yu-Twccd Division. This constituency he still keeps; but ala.-.-, his wife, who was his devoted fellow-work -r in all that he took in hand, is no longer by his side to share his responsibilities! The circumstances of her painful death arc still fresh in the memory. From 1892 to 1,895 he was Undersecretary of State for Foreign A flairs, and the effective manner in which lie discharged the duties of his office marked him out for his present preferment. STRENGTH OF CHARACTER.

Ills success is not; jhe result: of brilliant attainments. Sir lid ward Grey bus never been credited with those gifts which win Front Bench men their promotion. So far as oratorical skill goes, ho is seen to better advantage outside than inside the House of Commons. lie has been forced to the front by strength of character alone. A man who holds the respect of members of t)io House- of Commons, irrespective of party; who, without show or parade, puts heart and soul into every duty ho assumes, who, in short, has never been' guilty of an indiscretion, amazing or otherwise, must possess qualities above the common level. First among these qualities is his sturdy independence, a trait which he has inherited from his ancestors along with his gift of statesmanship. We had a taste of this quality' when the present Cabinet was in the forming. The desire was expressed that Sir Edward should repair to the House of Lords. He did not see his way to fall in with this desire, and was prepared to decline the portfolio of Foreign ivliiii.stei- rather than act contrary to his own independent judgment. To Ids mind the position of Foreign Secretary was not incompatible with the holder of its occupying a scat‘in typ House of Commons ; and had his'way.' But J)is jndopemlcnee was more forcibly demonstrated' when the Liberal Party was divided, when Lord Boseberv in the House of Lords and the late Sir William Harcourt in the House of Commons were, to put it plainly, pulling against each other. During certain debates on Uganda, for example, Sir Edward Grey not only "gave evidence of correct independence. but of perfect loyalty to jus chief, whose policy he defended' against all comers. ' , And let it lie stated here that l<ord Rosebery and Sir Edward Grey' have much in common. They are united by a strong bond of political sympathy. With botli the Empire is a precious heritage, to be belauded, rather than belittled. Lord Rosebery’s ideas of Imperialism have always been correctly interpreted by the present Foreign Secretary. HIS LEVEL-lIEADEDNESS. Another prominent characteristic of Sir Edward Grey is his Icycl-hcadcdness. There arc thoso who maintain that lie is vyithont exception the most cautious man in the jiou.se of Commons. His cautiousness is apparent in every speech ho makes. His speeches may bo innocent of oratorical embellishments, they may lack that literary finish anil graceful diction which mark the orations of Ministers .ailing at rigid and left' of him,* but they are always distinguished by"reason,' common sense, anil sincerity, Thev are not the speeches of a gushing idealist who cultivates style both as regards matter and manner, but of a Hunker who has thought out problems, it may be in the solitude of woods op the restful environment of green fields. “Ah ” remarked a friend to mo a short time ago, “Sir Edward Grey docs not, start on long fishing excursions for nothing. And'just as his speeches stand out consuieiiously, so does the man himself, ihc lithe figure, the jtfjuiline nose, the mobile mouth ' the byes in whiph sincerity ever shines—the face, in shM/'o! a dreamer—all bespeak individuality- A tnflo . c . alA ’ * us ’ tere aml passionless ho is voted by some, but those who hold this view would discard it W hcu once they were brought mtopersonal contact with him. Go to any Milage neai- his country seat in Northumberland, (1m meaning 'U ** mtlh ‘' hetiiel ' Jt reEers Ed».ri g ? that when he undertakes to perform a duty he makes it a point of honour to discharge it with thoroughness.. . iG 'applies to even the formal affairs of life.