Lord Attlee Passes Away

LONDON, OCT. 8 Lord Attlee, British Prime Minister from 1945-51, died in hospital here today.

The 84-year old Peer, who as Labour Prime Minister launched Britain’s Welfare State and gave independence to India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon, entered the Westminster Hospital here last month.

On September 20, he was said to be very ill, but his condition then improved till a bulletin on October 7 said that it was again causing anxiety.

A hospital statement today said Lord Attlee died peacefully in his sleep after a relapse yesterday.

Mr Clement Attlee, as he then was, succeeded Sir Winston Churchcill as Prime Minister after serving as his deputy in a coalition government during the world war II.

After six years of government, his Labour party was defeated by the Conservatives in 1951 and again in 1955. Attlee then resigned leadership of the party, which he had held since 1935, in favour of the late Mr Hugh Gaitskell.

Shortly afterwards, he was made an Earl.

A hospital spokesman said the former Labour leader died at 6.10 am local today. His only son was at his bedside. Pipe-smoking Clement Attlee led a social revolution in post-war Britain without once raising his voice. A mixture of shyness and iron will he was so self-effacing that one wit described him as “a sheep in sheep’s clothing,” a joke enjoyed as much as anybody.