THE FINAL CALL.
Some days before the announcement was made of Lord Revelstoke's appointment as British representative at the Reparations Conference together with Sir Josiah Stamp, he told me—as was his 'way not infrequently—in confidence of the request which had been made to hint. and why he felt constrained to accept. No one disliked more than lie did any appointment which brought with it considerable publicity. No one regretted more than he any appointment which involved absence front his daily duties at Bishopsgate. In this particular case, however, he felt it to be call of Duty, and bemuse he believed that so much might depend, both politically and financially, upon a satisfactory agreement at Paris with regard to Reparations, he set all personal feelings aside. Recognizing his unique abilities and his friend- ship with all the delegates at Paris, not excluding Dr. Schacht, I felt, as the City did a few days later when the appointment. became known, that in the choice of dele7 gates the City had, indeed, given of its best. Only three weeks before his death he paid a hurried visit to this country and I had the privilege of some three-quarters of an hour's private conversation with him, which I little thought was to be the last. During that time, while discussing, with me many of the difficulties of the dele- gates, he was -full of hope of an ultimate satisfactorY solution, believing that all the parties had everything to gain by coming together. Even on the Thursday when reports were freely circulated as to the Conference having broken down, I notice that to a Reuter's representative Lord Revelstoke said : " The mattPr is not yet beyond repair," and I have little doubt- that had he been spared to the following day, his wonderful charm and great diplomacy would have played a great part in striving to prevent the rupture which seems now to be threatened.
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