united to one another by devotion to the common cause and by personal loyalty to one
another. Both felt that this band should pursue its goal by secret political and economic
influence behind the scenes and by the control of journalistic, educational, and
propaganda agencies. Milner's intention to work for this goal, and to use Rhodes's money
and influence to do it, is clearly implied in all his actions (both before and after 1902), in
his correspondence with Rhodes (some of it unpublished), and in letters to Parkin in
September 1901 and to Lord Grey in May 1902. (18)
It is very likely that, long before Rhodes died, this plan was discussed in private
conversations of which no record was kept. For example, three of the Rhodes Trustees
under the last will—Grey, Milner, and Beit—with Lyttelton Gell had dinner at Beit's
house and talked over important matters far into the night of 30 November 1898. It is
quite clear that Rhodes talked over with his associates the ways in which his ideals would
be carried out after his death. He lived constantly under the fear of death and regarded his
whole life as a race in which he must achieve as much of his purpose as possible before
he died. The biographer of Alfred Beit is quite confident that Rhodes discussed with Beit
a plan by which Rhodes would omit from his will all mention of a project close to his
heart—the Cape to Cairo Railway—leaving this project to be covered, as it was, by Beit's
own will. There can be little doubt that Rhodes would have discussed a project even
closer to his heart—the worldwide group of Anglo-Saxon sympathizers—with the
trustees of his own will, and, above all, with the one most clearly devoted to his ideas,
Milner.
Chapter 4—Milner’s Kindergarten, 1897-1910
The appointment as High Commissioner of South Africa was the turning point in
Milner's life. It was obtained, apparently, through his membership in Rhodes's secret
society, through the influence of Stead, Brett, and Rhodes. Stead, in his book on Rhodes's
wills, claims the chief credit for the nomination, while Brett was with Milner at Windsor
when he received the appointment and returned with him to London. Sir Harry Johnston,
who had already been offered the appointment for himself by a Foreign Office official,
felt that it was Rhodes's influence which gave it to Milner. In his autobiography he wrote:
"At last the decision was made—Sir Alfred Milner. I suspect very much on the personal
pleadings of Cecil Rhodes, who professed himself delighted with the choice.... The non-
selection of myself for a work that would have greatly interested me, was a
disappointment, and I felt it was due to Rhodes' enmity more than to any other cause."
As High Commissioner, Milner was subordinate to the Secretary of State for the
Colonies, a post held at that time by Joseph Chamberlain, who was already acquainted
with Milner. They had fought Home Rule together in the election of 1886 and had both
been in Egypt in 1889. They already agreed on most of the important issues of the day,
combining, like other members of the Milner Group, advocacy of social welfare and
imperialism. Moreover, both were strong believers in union with Ireland and a new tariff
policy based on imperial preference. When Chamberlain joined Lord Salisbury's
government as Secretary of State for the Colonies (1895-1903), he was eager to accept
the suggestion that Milner be sent to South Africa. As Colonial Secretary, Chamberlain
did a number of things that won the complete support of Milner. Among these we might
mention the new constitution for Jamaica (1899), the federation of the Malay States
(1895), and the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia (1900). When Chamberlain
resigned from the Colonial Office in 1903 on the issue of tariff reform, the post was
offered by Balfour to Milner. The latter
refused in order to complete the work he had started in South Africa. When he was ready
to retire from his post, he recommended that his successor be either Alfred Lyttelton or
Lord Selborne. The latter obtained the appointment and not only carried Milner's work to
completion but did it with Milner's picked personnel. That personnel regarded Selborne
as second leader to Milner in the Group.(1)
As High Commissioner, Milner built up a body of assistants known in history as
"Milner's Kindergarten." The following list gives the chief members of the Kindergarten,
their dates of birth and death (where possible), their undergraduate colleges (with dates),
and the dates in which they were Fellows of All Souls.
Name Dates College All Souls
Patrick Duncan (later Sir Patrick) 1870-1946 Balliol 1890-1894 Never
Philip Kerr (later Lord Lothian) 1882-1940 New 1897-1901 Never
Robert Henry Brand 1878-1963 New 1897-1901 1901-
(later Lord Brand)
Lionel Curtis 1872-1955 New 1891-1905 1921-
Geoffrey Dawson 1874-1944 Magdalen 1898-1905;