THE CHAMBERLAINS
The Chamberlain Tradition. By Sir Charles Petrie. (Lovat Dickson. 3s. 6d.)
IT is not easy to see why Sir Charles Petrie has written this book. If he has put pen to paper out of simple admiration for the Chamberlain family, it cannot be said that he has raised a very imposing monument in their honour. If he wishes to bring opponents of the present Prime Minister to a more proper state of mind by pointing out that Mr. Neville Chamberlain is the third of a distinguished line of statesmen, his method of writing is unlikely to make any sudden con- versions. It is true that biographies of edification are not confined to any one political party, and that adherents of the Left are perhaps quicker than Conservatives to write up (and, after any disagreement, to write down) their prominent supporters, but that is no reason for trying to redress the balance.
At the outset Sir Charles Petrie has added to his troubles by trying to combine a short biography of a statesman who died a quarter of a century ago with an account of the Chamberlain who is now Prime Minister. The career of Sir Austen Chamberlain makes an uneasy and unsatisfactory transition between the historical and the political sections of the book. The result is neither a full-blooded political
pamphlet nor a contribution to the history of English politics. The chapter on Joseph Chamberlain adds practically nothing to the sum of knowledge, and contains a good many judgements which cannot pass without question. The middle chapter is extremely sketchy, and also includes things which might have been left out. It is hardly worth saying that " Great Britain has numbered many eminent statesmen among those who have controlled her foreign policy, but they have not all been equally successful," and it is rash to state that " with the death of Canning, there was a falling off " in the ability of those in control of foreign policy " until the appearance of Sir Edward Grey." Lord Salisbury is not a man who can be dismissed in a sentence to the effect that he was " in his later years largely dependent upon Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Balfour." Salisbury's attitude towards Chamberlain's
attempts to draw closer to Germany does not by any means show an attitude of " dependence."
The last chapter of the book deals with Mr. Neville Chamberlain. One sentence is enough to show the character of Sir Charles Petrie's approach to the subject. He points out that Mr. Chamberlain enjoys fishing and shooting. He adds :
" Behind the practical and efficient statesman there is the real lover of the country. In this he resembles a great many Englishmen, for a devotion to rural life is a national characteristic which foreigners never appear able to understand. . . ."
Arc all foreigners " urban " ? There was once a Bismarck in Germany, and a Cavour in Italy, who knew something about farming. There have even been Frenchmen who have not spent all their time in Paris.
The Chamberlain tradition is a very fine tradition. It is certain that historians will find it interesting to trace the careers and observe the development of Joseph Chamberlain and his two sons. These three statesmen represent a great deal of modern England. Modern England is not a simple subject ; the characters of the statesmen who have governed England, and the problems with which they have had to deal, are not simple. One may agree or disagree with the policy of the present Prime Minister, just as, according to the angle of view, one may pass very different judgements upon the policy of Joseph Chamberlain after he became Colonial Secre- tary, but it is no compliment to the Chamberlain family to write them up in the manner of a long and not very enter- taining after-dinner speech, or to talk of their tradition without getting down to the hard and tough facts which made this tradition and through which it has taken form in English
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