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The Marquess
and Marchioness of
Reading-m America
Ox Board the S. S. Aquitania
W E spotted them on the promenade deck of
the transatlantic liner. He, tall, svelte, al
most athletically built. She, an elegant’ fig-
ure of distinctly feminine contours. Both happy,
''iniling, eager. An attractive couple. Arm-in-arm
watching the utopian skyline of Manhattan coming
closer and closer.
Difficult to think of them as the Most Honor
able. The Marquess of Reading, P. C. G C R
<;. C. S. I., G C. I. E„ G. C. V. 6., and the
Most Honorable, the Marchioness of Reading.
1 here is nothing of the stiffness and the collect
monte mannerism of traveling English society about
’hem. Just two people on an autumnal honey
moon.
This ruddy looking gentleman with a fine, eagle
tace. alert eyes, and an ironic, smiling mouth, who
looks fifty and acts like forty, cannot be THE Lord
\e.uling. What about this impressive career of
almost a half century? His brilliant past as Rufus
'uacs, the barrister, the Queen’s counsel, the mem-
>er of Parliament? His historic record as Lord
' met Justice? His diplomatic triumphs as Am
bassador Plenipotentiary to the United States in
! ,m< * war * ^ 1S political achievements as the
urrov of India? You are startled. Somehow it
( Des not rhyme. Lord Reading, the colleague of
squith, of Lord Balfour, and this positively
\oung-looking gentleman cannot be one and the
•ame person. But they are. Lord Reading has
m uiefnfv discovered the secret of eternal youth.
a ship reporters surround him. He smiles,
perfectly at home, inviting questions. “Is Gandhi
‘ saint or a Charlatan?” . . . “Is Churchill rep-
(Mnr.ime of English public opinion in regard to
. “Will there be a revolution in In-
* ■ • How about British-Soviet relations?”
Y * s f be Hitlerite movement dangerous to
WT? Europe?” . . . “Are you in favor of
; l '>«rJd Jewish Congress?” . . . “Will Sir Her-
< r t Samuel's resignation weaken the MacDonald
Cabinet ? ’ . . . “Do you agree wfth Lord Mel .
a iout England leading a world-wide move-
1( m against anti-Semitism ?” . . . “Are Jews in
destine safe?”
By Julian Mayer
n ; 1 '* alanche of questions raining in from all
'• I here is no sign of impatience or irritation
1 A Eordship’s face. On the contrary, he seems
n Jo\ the cross-examination. Plays with the
mums like an expert tennis player with the
'y s °uner have they left the inquirer than
mots back the answer, quicklv, candidly and
Patently to the point.
, an dhi ? Well if he had confined himself to so-
' r, mm instead of devoting himself to politics,
"dd have done better. . . . No, no, his fast-
* s to force the hands of the orthodox Hindus
( a better attitude to the untouchables. It
1 meant against England at all. . . . And
7j*<»*•
: l 12 -y far -°M representative of the Brit-
L Z\ ar ' f T d “ n combing-
jajJ /ton °[*- Secretary of State for Foreign
aU' K ,■ h 'r h ' 9 ',” mn9 of Ra ”"*f M action-
• Nationalist Government; Britain’s 4m
bassador to the United States during the critical
Brit°l° f " ar: !° rd Chi 'f ^e of Grt Jt
Imperial Cb'™* l”**! ° nd *”*'**"* of
FmXr?’ Chfmical Industries, ltd., one of the
Empires greatest organizations.. Few men
could, or would not if they could, boast of such
*1j U l Damel hanci > Marguess of
Reading could boast, but does not, for the
•words of the late William Bolitho describe his
‘ !n the luxurious hand dealt England
by Fate . . . the longest suit is the Jew ....
o not forget . . . Marcus Samuel, who gave them a
make high explosives; .\fond, who settled the labor
Til’ ! frrf,rrt . S . amurl - Who nearly prevented the down
fall of coal mining, and Rufus Daniel Isaacs, who saved
the Indian Empire that Disraeli created for them .
1°* htS j ra ‘ n j p0V -' er ’ his anting which England
settled on and used . . // is the grand manner which
is bis genius—a politeness that introduces serenity and
grace wherever it is put. . . . The Jewish business-
™ an * oentus is almost banal beside this astonishing
Lo . rd . Reading—he is the finished product of a century
of civilized treatment, the beautiful reappearance of the
noble, polished Jewish Gentleman
The first time Rufus Daniel Isaacs saw India, it was
as a ship’s cabin boy—the next time, as Viceroy. The
first voyage was because of an unsuccessful young love
affair—the second was because of a successful love
affair, which terminated in his marriage to Alice Edith
Cohen. It is to her that Lord Reading gives credit for
his success, for she persuaded him to leave his dwindling
career as a stockbroker and take up the study of law.
As a lawyer, Isaacs is rated below his contemporaries
by his colleagues who credit his industry, his wit, and
his. polish with the fact that soon after he started prac
ticing. hr was earning £30,000 a year.
In 1910 Rufus Isaacs was appointed Solicitor General,
and dubbed a Knight. In 1911 he was Attorney Gen
eral. In 1913 he became Lord Chief Justice of Great
Britain, and in 1914 he was made a Born. In between
these years he had served as a lieutenant to David
Lloyd George and had helped to engineer the House
of Lords reform.
Last year, 1931, was very notable for him—the Na
tional Goz’ernment credited his prestige for the sur-
vival of the first hard months; he became president
of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd.; he married a
second time, his devoted first wife, tong an invalid,
having died in 1930. The Present Lady Reading was
formerly Stella Charnaud, v'ho had been first his tybist,
then his leadina Political advisor. She is 38, and he is
77. hut her solicitude is extreme for her husband who
still has all the grace, suavity and quickness of mind
that he possessed in his younger days at the bar. He
ts very sPry. has only the faintest paunch, but is in a
delicate state of health.
Rufus Isaacs' wit. which Americans have heard about
but have not had the opportunity to see. was visible in
court one dav when he asked a surlv witness: "Do you
drink. sir?" The witness replied: "That's my business
Isaacs: “And have you any other businessf"
Following is an interview with Lord and Lady Read-
ina by Julius Mayer, given on board the S. S. Aossitnnia
mnbile they were en route to the United States.—Editor's
Note.
Jr I
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' ■ ..
1 ; *-
lllHH Panul Isaacs, Marquess of Reading
. . . the product of civilised treatment—
the noble polushed Jewish Gentleman
Churchill merely represents a dissentient conserva
tive group. ... A revolution in India, no danger
• i i .°? 1 . t * me to t,mr there appears a mem
f " ,, ,n ! ,,s e > ps ’ especially when the questior
would require volumes for an answer. But the
S5 r ?.K°? °. n ta,k 'nR fluently without hesitation,
Hritish-Soviet relations are a matter of trade, of
course. . . . I here is no change in the attitude of
English public opinion to the Communist experi
ment, and as regards the Hitlerite movement,
well, why cross bridges before you reach them?
‘ *. .* S . ,r Hubert's resignation is in accordance
with the views of the Liberal Party on the tariff
questioned, but the national Government is still
considered a vital necessity in view of prevailing
conditions. ...”
In <i good-natured causeric he skilfully parries
all delicate implications. I he reporters got the
feeling that he knows their questions before they
finish uttering them. “'Hie Jewish World Con
gress, you mean that Dr. Wise conference. ... I
am not sufficiently informed. Only once during
the entire interview does the British statesman get
intent on being perfectly well understood. This,
when he is asked about Palestine.
It is a great mistake, he said, “for Jews to
speak of Palestine as a Jewish problem. It is
nothing of the kind. It is a British problem. The
British Government took over the mandate and
realizes full well all its responsibility. It will
fulfill its pledge regardless of what party forms
the Government. Whatever problems arise in the
administration of Palestine must be solved by the
British, in accordance with the pledge they have
made as Mandatory power.”
Lord Reading chats readily on Palestine; Dur
ing his visit there a few months ago, he found that
the economic crisis had not touched Palestine very
harshly, he explains, and when one of the Jewish
reporters asks him whether he approves of Amer
ican Jews investing funds in Palestine, he replies
emphatically: “Absolutely.” During this barrage
from the newspapermen, her Ladyship stands at
his side, eyeing the skirmish w'ith amusement. She
enjoys seeing her famous (Please turn to page 16)
SOUTHERN ISRAELITE *
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