One of the Outstanding Women of This Age

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 24, 29 January 1937, Page 11

One of the Outstanding Women of This Age

The serious illness of Viscountess Rhondda, who is suffering from influenza, directs attention to tho career of one of the outstanding women of this age. Apart from the extensive sphere of her business interests, the influence she wields through the pages of that line review, "Time and Tide," of which she has been the editor for some years, spreads over a very w T ide field. The only child of the first V lscount Rhondda, Margaret Haig Thomas, inherited from her Welsh father the force of character and the driving power that enabled him in 10 years to gain control of the coal industry in Wales, and a sturdy independence that has manifested itself at every turn in her life Her mother, who was before her mar riago Sybil Margaret Haig, belongs to a branch of the old Scottish border family, which also claims Lord Haig of Bemersyde.

Margaret, who was born in June, 1883, was educated at St. Leonard’s, the famous Scottish secondary school for girls at St. Andrews, a school which has given many distinguished women to the professions. She went up to Oxford, but left before completing the course for her degree, and married Mr (afterwards Sir) Humphrey Maekworth, a country gentleman of a conservative and, perhaps, conventional type, devoted to hunting. His wife enjoyed the hunting, but found that her domestic and social duties failed to provide enough occupation for her mind of her time, and threw herself into tho militant suffrage movement. Her husband stipulated, however, that she should not go to prison, a promise which he had to modify subsequently. Her real vocation, however, was

"big business.'' Not long after her marriage, which was subsequently dissolved, her father declared that he needed a confidential assistant and business associate, and was prepared to pay a salary of £IOOO for the right person. "Why not try Margaret," hfe? mother asked. And from that day Margaret became her father’s companion and business associate.

She proved a good partner, so much so that when, at the request of the British Government, he went to the United Sates to expediate tho supply of munitions he gave her his power of attorney, with full authority. Previously, she had been with him in America, and they were returning on the Lusitania on Eer ill-fated voyage. That experience, Lady Rhondda has said, gave her confidence in her ability to keep her head in dangerous circumstances. When her father joined tho British Ministry she took his place on many new and important boards of which ho had been a member. The confidence between them was complete.

"Margaret and I," he said, “are not like father and daughter; wo are ‘ butties.' ' ’ She herself worked during the war at tho Ministry of National Service in connection with the enlistment for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

On her father's death Lady Rhondda succeeded to his title, which had been granted with a special remainder to his daughter. She made an effort to secure admittance to the House of Lords, and was nearly successful, but was defeated, as she herself says in her autobiography, by Lord Birkenhead. She was able, however, to devote time and money to causes which she wished to help. In figure sturdy, and rather below middle height, Lady Rhondda has the beauty which bespeaks intellect and enthusiasm, combined with good health.