1954-10-16 — Page 8

Page

T

THE CHINA MÄIL IATUR

First real peep into the private life of Mr. Gladstone... even the famous disagreed for they called him a GREAT MAN...a GREAT FRAUD

He dined with the Queen,

HREE men- Lloyd George, Bonar Law, and Clemenceau — wore discussing Gladstone on the terrace of the House of Commons.

Lloyd George had on- reservedly expressed the view that Gladstone was great. man. -Bonar Law shook his head in emphatic disagreement. "I think he was a great fraud," he said.

Lloyd George, visibly an noyed, was about to protest when Clemenceau, over the pence maker, threw his. arms about both men und said, "All great men are great frauds,"

in' Sir Philku There is much Magus's brilliant biography of Gladstone (John Murray, 28)

to

subtantiate. Clemenceau's cynical generalicution.

For in this life of a man who Lan his political exteur us

mry Tory and ended anatorical laberal, cons-lence

battling

with was coostunuy expedierey.

Back-tracking

his 60 усаг

THROUGHOUT als de Year

was ever back-tracking on il- self, changing, veering with the Elmes, and migre often than not each shift of opinion coincided with his political ambitions.

But since Gladstone's politles were fooled in dogmatic religion in a towering and Herce faith in the Church of England--he rould rationalise sommerrault, us overpowering Will of God.

cach

mental each inconsistency chuty or the

could Thus what Gladstone' preen himself on ash gift for timing, his enemies equated with

Breed pportunism und office.

for

10

10

had

And there suspicions of Glad stone's motives were summed of in the famous, remark up Labouchere's, who had

sais that he had no objection Gladstone's habit of conegalleg of trumps up his sleeve, the nee

did object strongly but he his assumption that God put it there,

Perhaps no aspect of Glad stone's career gave rise to more more nisunders andings tezic charges of hypocrisy thng his relations with women.

the charges So gross, WORC levelled againėt Gladstone, sa distorted were the interprz. tutions placed upon his conduct with women that his sons pro- voked a libet action

What you can learn

by dragging

Parker "$1" Pen

and

rescued

fallen women

MISUNDERSTOOD-BY ALL

EXCEPT HIS WIFE

years, after their father's death In order to protect his re pritation.

15

The result of that action was level these canards for ever, And now in Sir Phillo Magnus's blography-the Best extensive peer into Ghadstone's private life we can see for our- circumstances that selves the Frovoked

these ugly whisper that pursued Gladstone's nonit like some malevolent.cloud

Much of Gladstone's life was spent coning with the thoughts, the prejudices, and the fulbles of women. He never understood their and most of thein were terriẞed by him.

Although

Prime Minister Loup was the

Inst when he was 82) Queen Vics. toria so nurture her dislike of the man that i had swollen to loath- ing before he died.

parlousness she never expert chced, from anyene clan.

Bo violent dir this antipathy. grow that when Gladstone died the could not be persuaded to

Undoubtedly,there "was. one woman loom Gladstone's forbidding, and austere per ronality wds, completely prehensible. That was his wife Catherine.

com-

announce in the Court Circular Throughout their long дпу

And she regrof.

was together, they were a devoted greatly displeased that her son

and happy couple. Both were (Edward VI) and her grandson indifferent to society and enter (George V) acted 18

pallinining, and at home Gladstone was an affectionete and "con- benrers.

genial father to his Reven

by MILTON SHULMAN

self

Gladstone, austero, righteous, was never capable of flattering the Queen in the subtle manner of Disruell, who so enchanted her.

hei

Ner would he ever unbend or give way to her on matters that he considered sound govern mental principle. Thus refused to support a motion for the purchase of a small amount of gunmolat for the Albert Memorial Kensington Gardens because the sum had not appeared in the original

cstimate.

He tried to get the Queen 1 allow the Prince

Wales to serve us Viceroy of Ireland and pressed his wishes so hard and so bluntly that the Queen "Mr Gladstone remarked that would have liked to govern her-

the Bismark governs Emperor."

GS anil

around by the hair.

She found in his manner an 30- overbearing obstinacy and im

T

and

terrified lori zome incident arise that might spark

*

major standal in the press. Once ho wt.a trailed by a blackmailor Job In the who demanded Inland Bavonus for keeping grqat qulot about seding the statesman, talking to

to: prostitutes, Gladstone had him arrested, appeared as a witness in the courtnð the magistrate's

sentenced to 1 youth was months hard labour.

Another time.. Gladstono who had a rescued a worhan liaison with a man at the very top of the social tree. She hai been provided with a house in Brompton Square and a carri age and pair.

The horses were kept at La neighbouring. Hvery stable, and

the proprietor learned that Gladstone was responsible

Emmwlop

that it was commemorated in music-ball Ingles:

Charlie Dilke Split the Milk

'way Back Chelsea

It was

From

wow fold by one of the Irish anembers that when "Gladstone learned that Crawford: intended 1 E06 Dalks da nowrespondent he acht an emissary to Crawford to find out he could be induced to drop the proceedings,

Crawford Intimated that he was prepared to forget the mat- ter if he were granted a judge- ship when the Liberals were next In office "Scottish judgeship?" asked the cmiary. No, Crawford Vanted an English one,

A divorce

TUE emissary considered the proposal so immoral that he did not bolder to report it to Gladstone, However, when a few days later, Gladstone Inquired

about the matter. he was

Hearly as zhodéed as

had been at Crawford's

not

"I think Crawford would make

a "judge," be mured, after

thoughtful pause.

The Dilka, story

A

does not

appear in Magnusa blography, But he does teil in considerable detail of another divorzo action that had mare serious reper- Gladstone" and his

•cussions for party,

This was the notorious affair of Charles Parnell and Mrs Kitty O'Shea. In committing himself to Home Rule Gladstone had bound up the Zorlunes of the Liberal Party with that of a by band of Irish MP3 led

casseted for the worman's "redemption AMBITIOUS. AUSTERE..SELF-RIGHTEOUS P

he threatened. to suo Gladstone- for the balance of the account,

1

"He assumed God put the ace up his sleepp.”

He

Was

The liaison between Farnell and Mrs O'Shen: had, boen known to most leading politicians for

Another › womun

Gladstone children. never understood was his; sister, And because Gladstone сол

aldered 1 his duty to avoid when Halen.

being because it wasted $0 The demanding atmosphere. much time, his wife 21 Mar hdme life and an him, all-his life.`

1t

was, how- ever, the charli- oble work in which Gladstone Gladstone was intense because When, in 1886, haired against his wife

approachod by a sons were involved that it was years. Even O'Shea trimself, had of Home Rule, friend of his support

and warned' that. the finally exploded. were engaged

hla colleagues. realised

calumnies could no longer be that stimulated the most vicious

Even Gladstone's something, had to be done to

friendly disregarded. stop the old man's activities.

people were at a loss to under personal habits,

stand his behaviour. was believed. Already.

Queen the streets;

had heard the and for this purpose, not only stories, and had been appra- founded a number of homes in "priately shocked, by them. the Piccadilly-Boho district but actually prowled the streets In search of converts.

unhappy love affair had driven her to taking opium. When he that she was about to learned become a Catholic he felt that she had shamed the family beyond forgiveness.

and

He urged his father to expel Helen from his house

His father, more board. charitablo, refused.

had

un-

rumours

about

They undertook prostitutes from

to:

resetia

"Gladstone's method writes 10 walk the Magnus, "was streets by night, alone, be at least one evening a week armed with a stout stick for protection when re wandered into ufire- quented districts. «

When his sister dind her

been constitution dermined by enormous doses of morphia-Gladstong was deter mined to bury, her with, Church et England rites. As she had never officially renounced Catho

"At first, he liked to wait for Belem he conducted an investiga prostituted to accost him, and tion into the reading matter he would then reply with had left behind.

courtesy, simplicity, and charm,

she

a "dog" "But he would biten decost Bince she possessed eared". Anglican Prayer Beck women himself, and suggest that and regularly received a Church they should company him of England newspaper and no home; where he told them that Catholle journal, he felt justified they would be treated with in concluding she had ceased to respect by his wife and by him- be a Catholic and had reverted to the Church of her youth, She self, and that they would be given

food and sheiter."! wds laid to test with Anglican rites in the family vault

Parker's new Electro-Polished Points are the

smoothest

ever made

Gladstone kept a record-of- every case, · and if after a spell by the seaside to regain their health the women went back to their former occupation, he never scolded them or lost his patience. He went after them agnirs and *them into again, pursuing brothels it necessary.

This work, which he continued vigorously, even when he was. Prime Minister, was naturally a subject of much, gossip in the clubs where it was usually mis- construed.

During his period of run. pecularity his followers were all

tho

it

LILY LANGTRY

that

Her friendship with Gladstone was cause for anxiety

WHERE THEY CANT DO

MUCH BUT

Britlik

The

condoned it, and he had only brought a divorce action in a út Mrs Langtry, was then sull of revenge when he found that alive, and in a telegram from he could no longer expect to Monle Carlo

counsel get any political office through

the Parnell.. "strongly repudiated" slanderous accusations.

to

But the compassion shown by

The Prime Minister, though; the matter óvorfor two days and agreed never to speak to women in the streets at night. Gladstone in his work with the * prostitutes was never reflected there in his attitude to any proposicyl

reforing in the matter of marriage or divorce,

He added, however, were two cases which he was not prepared to drop altogether, But even, this promise, did not prevent him occasionally from talking to prostitutes..

Another delicate matter that

he

Ho used every method could to prevent a broadening of the opportunities for divorce.

Party split

Partell's retirement

leader of the Irish Party was flow essential if Gladstono was to have any chance at im- plementing Home Rule. He was advised by his cularly John

to ask to stop down, Farnell friends was his friendship with only available to the wealthy for

nation, disgusted, was Lily Langtry, the loveliest it could only be procured and

through a privato Act of Parlia no longer prepared to accept ment. It was an expensivo and Home Rule time wasting business.

causad, anxiety, to Gladstone's Up until 1857, divorce was a Park Party was spIH..

woman of her day.

She was a friend of the Prince of Wales, and her repu tation

Sir Philip Magnus says that

It was a Bill to establish a the scandal came as an "utter was much at that time that few house would receive Divorce Court thus opening surprise to Gladstone. If this le her. Gladstone was on the most the procedure of divorce to the true then Gladsforte must have friendly terms with the Prince, middle-class which Gladstone boen mive to the point at

with every partiainen- obtuseness. For seven and he knew that the Prince fought was annoyed by society's treat-tary method he couls davise, before Gladstone had received a

belling him that letter

Mrs Including obstruction. ment of Mrs Langtry.

O'Shen was Parnell's mistress,,

Ho called on her tikmself, Icund hez charming,”

her acade-sign. which was used by a few pri-

even - gave

Усат

This knowledge never deterred

Parnell, -: actually through Mrs O'Shea, whom Parnell was trying vileged people to send him

more telling illustra to get out of gaol after he had A Nevert be letters which would not

chier: the opened by the private secretion of his refusal to com- been imprisoned taries.

promise in any way over his Coercion Ast. views about domestic fo was.

́over, a public Mrs Langtry often used the his conduct. privilege

racniorial that was being spon sored for the philosopher John Stuart Mill.

No compromise im negotiating with

No evidence.

!

It was not unnatural, then, that there were rumours that cladatone had greatly ad. AN additional beam of light

Langtry was the Prime Minister mistress. They per-mired Mill and agreed to allow has been thrown on this by elsted long after Gladstone had his name to be associated, with turbulent episode of history..

Owen's forthcoming died, and it was not until the those sponsoring."

The learned biography libel action in which Gladstone's But, unfortunately memorial and

MUZIEJAI, that, as a young man. Marhad Lloyd! Geoyle mele Geog

advocated birth- -control. Scan Owen-insisted that it was John daled, he withdraw

nob Chadstone, who cot- Mosley, from the list of sponsor, and to And Marley, whore. vinced the Liberals that Parnell would not put it back even when he was, assured the high-coded

Ouled integrity had won Gladstone's admiration, was him walf The time living we (*woman) to whom he was "nod Chadstone's wo

TALK

cin

awn Pazilaments in proportion Strasbourg. Secrotury-Gor

hers are to the political parties, KEE political battle for Lincoln, and

this Europe is now being

thing salaries are not dis- LLP đó but talk? Lought in the most elaborate prefab in France, closed, but come out of the They are not delegates, but Individuais. They can commait annual budget

Glove the £780,000, OK that, the Big Four- neither their ---Britain, France, Germany, their parties,

auch pay £130,000 what do the taxonrece of the Strasbourg's public parks 15member countries

The headquarters of Council of Europe, were built In five moribs on a football pitch in the Orangerie, one of

coun

It looks as solid as the new Board of Trade building in romi frat waltehall. In fact, it is mainly

their money? One of the handbooki: puts

wood, plaster, and fibre board.

ven so it cost £800,000. inpent start totale

262

from the Secretary-

·Marchal of FTUDEN

[the] cleaners

council has clear role of a forum

Opinion Dubije

HAZARD

allegation was, untrue...

his name

Yet, though public stiligda on divorce was married! The story, is so startling always Berce and unbending, this it is a pity Trank Owen there is evidence that he was offers no ation, exidence in the prepared to adopt a more toler truth, than whey remarks by ant viewpoint where his own loss; Cheorem 277 Nga gay th political position was involvet.

This if was a woman, Kitty hout Queen Victoria's OShen, who in the and struck olitician could hope the most diametroita filcontat to: rèms In office if it were Gladstone's hopes for his party,

yo. 3 be had been guilty of At the height of the

A besidad ghar crisis, ani frida M.P. cried

to be partienlady, outraged voice, “Won to ipa tion was that in to a prostitute; (and then Charles Dijki, a prize:

crowning pertas);

on the Libezak,

were the air.

which «Dilice,

Party