LORD FISHER AND POLITICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 July 1919, Page 5

LORD FISHER AND POLITICS.

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L, ytudé towé.rds'“._.p_Ql.i,t,.i_cians was maqre shy; ."\d’§l‘Tal:L°r§.,i?i§liér--in ah épe‘é,ch“sat;?a .lunéheon giv“é‘n"in. honour bf Eff. Uosirehus Daniels; Secretary of the ;Uni-"fed States Navy.

“Mr- Daniels _,talk_ed._to you a__great. deal» about the—League.of .I\Tations,.” .he said, “I think it would be pleasant to you if I were to tell you all about America. I was there‘ one Week. He has been‘ over here one ‘week.’ ’(lianv’gl'l-1‘ ter and'cheers).l I went over ' there forone week because my only son married the only daughter. of a great Philadelphian_ I think on account of that union‘ of hearts you -ought 'to have selected me as Ambaslsador to Washingto; but -I am too young. (Laughter). King Eward, who was a very kind friend at one time—said: “Do youknow you are the best—hated man in the‘, British‘. Empire?" 1 said, _‘Yes, perhaps I am,’ He said: ‘Do you know that I am the only ‘friend you have?’ I said, ‘Perhaps Yéfir Majesty is right; but you have backed "a“win'ner_’ (Loud cheers).__ When aftenvfards I came‘ out on top I said to ‘him: ‘Do you remember‘ ‘I said "you had backed a winner? Well, you did, and the betting was a_ thousand to one.’ ;” (-Laug‘hter.)" ’ ’ Continuing, _Lord Fisher "said that when he was admirali",in"’Nor'th America, and was at Bérnlluda,”i_a:_"députa. tion of American citizens came to him on July 4, and to tell the honest truth he had forgotten about it. (Laughter).' He told the deputation he knew what they had come there for. “You know,” I said to them. “the greatest Englishman that ever lived was George Washington. He taught us how to rule our colonies. He told us that freedom was the thing, to give them. Why, it it had not been for George Washington, America, might have been Ireland.” (Laughter)_ i “Now, as to the League of Nations, I forestalled our friend, Mr. Daniels. An "American citizen, whom I met took a paper out of his pocket, and asked me: ‘Have you read that?’ I looked at it and saw that it was a speech by John Bright, That speech of John[ Bright is really very little known on this side of the Atlantic. or on the other, but it so impressed me at the time that '1 have been at it ever since. John Bright said hé lootrea for the fime when-there would be a compulSOI‘Y pea.ce—when those who spoke. with the same tongue would have a great federation of free nations joined ’fogether——Canada, Australia, Africa, America and England. But they have gone and hashed it all. They have made the capital at Geneva. instead of at Jerusalem. (Laughter) I have not politics. (Laughter). When I first went to the Admiralty, the First Lord asked me my . politics. I . said: ‘Mr. Goschon I have voted consistently for both sTcTes.’§ (Great laughter). ‘I vote for whoever‘; gives most money to the navy.’ {Hear} hear)_ And I said, ‘You can play the] fool with all sorts of things and very] nearly wreck your country but the‘ one thing that you must not play the; fool with is the navy.’ Therefore, who-i ther he was a Radical or a Socialist or a blue—blooded Tory, it was well sol long as he handed out the mo_neyf’l (Laughter). ,_ ‘ 2 _ ' j