Lord Reading and His Cases - The Study of a Great Career Book

LORD READING ND HIS CASES the Study or Great Career By DEREK WALKER-SMITH NEW YORK THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1934 Copyright, 7034, by THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. All rights reserved no part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in magazine or newspaper. lKINTEl IN THE UNITED STATES Ob AMERICA BY THE POLYGKAPHIC COMPANY OP AMERICA, N. Y. LORD READING Reproduced by courtesy of the London Evening News AUTHORS NOTE I wish to make it clear that, although I informed Lord Reading of my intentions with regard to this book and have by his courtesy seen him from time to time in the course of its preparation, the book is in no way inspired by him 5 it follows that he does not take responsibility for its contents. The book is primarily an account of the principal cases in which Lord Reading figured prominently as counsel or judge in what is perhaps the most interesting period of his brilliant career. It aims to present a balanced and impartial estimate of the career of a man happily still living, and it would on that account have been clearly impossible to exercise the independent judgment necessary to such a task, if my responsibility for the book had been less complete. The life of a great advocate is a social document p. 117. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAQB I. Rufus Isaacs the Man .... i II. Rufus Isaacs the Boy 10 III. Apprenticeship at the Bar a Famous Turf Case . . . . 20 IV. A Growing Practice Allen v. Flood . 33 V. K. C., and an Incursus into Politics . . 47 VI. A Political Libel Action and a Boer War Prosecution . . . . 59 VII. Annus Mirabilis the Liverpool Bank Case ...... 76 VIII. The Hartopp Divorce Case and Taff Vale 92 IX. The Gordon Custody. Case . . . 118 X. Rise and Fall of Whittaker Wright . 133 XI. The Reading Bye-Election of 1904 in Parliament . . . . .155 XII. The Defence of Sir Edward Russell . 164 XIII. The Liberal Triumph of 1906 the Trades Disputes Bill . . .179 XIV. Rufus Isaacs and Carson the Gaiety Girl Divorce Case. . . .190 XV. The Acquittal of Bob Sievier . . 209 XVI. Commercial Magnates v. Press Lords . 220 XVII. A Political Chapter Solicitor-General . 235 XVIII. The Archer-Shee Controversy . . 243 xi xii CONTENTS CHAPTER PAOB XIX. Troubled Politics Parliament Bill and Home Rule 251 XX. The Honour of the King . . .260 XXL Rufus Isaacs and Marshall Hall the Seddons Trial .... 270 XXII. The Titanic Disaster .... 297 XXIII. Suffragettes and Trade Unions . . 316 XXIV. The Marconi Scandal ... 324 XXV. Wartime Lord Chief Justice . . . 343 XXVL Treason and Death of Roger Casement . 353 XXVII. Conclusion and Estimate . . . 387 Index 393 LORD READING AND HIS CASESRead More