“its central tenet is that there is no such thing as the spiritual nature of man, or, if there is, it should be ignored or stamped out as speedily as possible”
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Robert Cecil
Edgar Algernon Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood,, known as Lord Robert Cecil from 1868 to 1923, was a British lawyer, politician and diplomat. He was one of the architects of the League of Nations and a defender of it, whose service to the organisation saw him awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1937.
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politics · British lawyer, politician and diplomat (1864–1958) · politician · Esperantist · lawyer · diplomat · jurist · also Robert Cecil, Robert Cecil, Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, Edgar Algernon Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Lord Robert Cecil, Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, Edgar Algernon Robert Gascoyne Viscount Cecil of Chelwood
Born 14 September 1864 · Died 24 November 1958 · Q12702
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But supposing there is a German guarantee, of what is its value? It is unnecessary to accuse Germany of perfidy. Not only the Nazi Government but all previous German Governments from the time of Frederick the Great downwards have made their position perfectly clear. To them, an international assurance is no more than a statement of present intention. It has no absolute validity for the future
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2026· 6 entries
“But supposing there is a German guarantee, of what is its value? It is unnecessary to accuse Germany of perfidy. Not only the Nazi Government but all previous German Governments from the time of Frederick the Great downwards have made their position perfectly clear. To them, an international assurance is no more than a statement of present intention. It has no absolute validity for the future”
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“more and more out of sympathy with modern Conservatism”
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“rules governing [German] disarmament”
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“a very bad document, badly expressed, badly arranged, and very incomplete”
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Ott & Lee Funeral Homes: Robert Cecil Taylor Obituary Aug 11, 2026
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2006· 1 entry
“Lord Robert Cecil and the Formation of a Middle East Department of the Foreign Office”
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1958· 2 entries
Died 1958-11-24.
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“Let me beg my readers to do their utmost for the success of the Peace Ballot. There is no single thing which they can do of greater value for Peace. … Every vote is wanted and may contribute to prevent war and save the lives of countless thousands of our fellow citizens.”
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1956· 1 entry
Was elected chancellor of the University of Birmingham (1918–1944) and rector of the University of Aberdeen (1924–1927)
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1938· 1 entry
“The Germans really conceive of their country as always under war conditions in this respect. No one expects a belligerent to tell the truth and, to the German mind, they are always belligerent. The Germans take the view that war is only intensified peace”
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1937· 2 entries
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Peace — for his tireless effort in support of the League of Nations, disarmament and peace.
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Awarded Nobel Peace Prize (1937).
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1934· 1 entry
Cecil criticised the British government for the missed opportunity of gaining French co-operation at the conference after the electoral victory of the French Radicals
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1933· 1 entry
Advocated "the abolition of aggressive arms" as "the power of the defensive" would mean that "France and the smaller countries would be safer than
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1931· 4 entries
Was a flagrant breach of the Covenant of the League of Nations
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Writing: "If it had been stopped by an united League of Nations, it could have had no successors
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Which he believed had led directly to World War Two
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“If it had been stopped by an united League of Nations, it could have had no successors. Above all, it encouraged aggressive Powers in Europe-first in Italy and then Germany-to set at nought the barrier so laboriously erected at Geneva against aggression, and brought us step by step to the present intensely grave position”
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1929· 1 entry
Cecil accepted the post of president of the newly formed Pedestrians Association who were to campaign successfully to introduce many new measures to benefit pedestrians
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1925· 1 entry
Awarded Cross of Liberty 1st Division, 3rd Class (1925).
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1924· 2 entries
Career landmark: Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1924–1927).
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Career landmark: rector (1924–1927).
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1923· 4 entries
Career landmark: Lord Privy Seal (1923–1924).
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Wrote that Cecil was a "crank"
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Made a five-week tour of the United States, explaining the League to American audiences
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Career landmark: member of the House of Lords (1923–1958).
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1922· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the 32nd Parliament of the United Kingdom (1922–1923).
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1921· 2 entries
Cecil abandoned his attempt to form a centre party but still wanted Grey to return to active politics
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Proposed that the League of Nations adopt Esperanto as solution to the language problem
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1919· 2 entries
Was made an Honorary Fellow, and granted his MA of University College, Oxford, as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law, apt for a university chancellor which he by then was
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Complained that the British representatives on the League Commission, Cecil and Smuts, were idealists; Cecil was "not very practical on this particular question
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1918· 2 entries
Career landmark: member of the 31st Parliament of the United Kingdom (1918–1922).
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Career landmark: Chancellor of the University of Birmingham (1918–1944).
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1915· 1 entry
Career landmark: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1915–1919).
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1911· 2 entries
Career landmark: member of the 30th Parliament of the United Kingdom (1911–1918).
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Won a by-election in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, as an Independent Conservative and served as its MP until 1923
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1910· 2 entries
Was appointed a member of the General Council of the Bar, and a Bencher of the Inner Temple
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As a result of the tariff reform controversy
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1908· 1 entry
“To me, the greatest necessity of all is to preserve, if possible, a foothold for Free Trade within the Unionist party. For, if not, I and others who think like me, will be driven to imperil either free trade or other causes such as religious education, the House of Lords, and even the Union, which seem to us of equal importance”
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1906· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the 28th Parliament of the United Kingdom (1906–1910).
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1887· 1 entry
Was called to the bar by the Inner Temple
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1864· 1 entry
Born 1864-09-14.
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