A SPECTATOR 'S NOTEBOOK

FROM what I hear in more quarters than one the successes of the Royal Air Force against Germany have in two respects been more considerable than is commonly appreciated. Photographs of the blitzed cities, when examined through the red and blue glasses which throw up the picture in three dimensions, show a devasta- tion almost incredible in its extent and completeness. How long German can survive the progressive " unhousing " both of industrial workers and of workers' and soldiers' families is a highly important question. The other fact of significance is the extent to which Russia has been assisted by the diversion of German fighter-planes to the defence of Germany itself. If the estimated figure of the fighters now, or at a very recent date, operating in the East were published its smallness would cause universal surprise. A con- spicuous feature of the fighting in that theatre in recent weeks is the supremacy of the Russian Air Force over the Germans. The Russians have the R.A.F. to thank for that. It is not essential that they should actually thank it, but such a gesture would tend to foster cordiality between Allies.

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Mr. Wendell Willkie's book, Our World, is to be published in this country next week, and it will no doubt have a considerable sale, though not on the phenomenal scale attained in America. It is a remarkable and highly encouraging fact that the two best-sellers in the United States today are Our World and (some way behind) Walter Lippmann's United States Foreign Policy. The first printing of the latter was 32o,000, but probably enough a second edition is under way by now. Nothing could be more opportune than the way in which Lippmann's book quite undesignedly (for they were being written simultaneously) complements Willkie's. Our World, in a popular and eminently readable form, makes a powerful case for world-co-operation and America's full participation in it. Lipp- mann, as an experienced and most able publicist, defines in specific terms the foreign policy by which the United States should realise Willkie's ideals. Governor Dewey, in his unexpectedly progressive declaration at Lake Mackinac last week, was avowedly echoing Lippmann's arguments.

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Was the tribute to Mr. Reginald McKenna in Wednesday's Times by " K " from the pen of Lord Keynes, as I have heard good judges suggest? From internal evidence I should say Lord Kindersley was a much likelier guess, quite apart from the fact that Lord Keynes is in. America (whence, of course, he could easily have cabled anything he had to say). The mission to Washington,, in which Keynes is accompanied by two of the able economists now serving the Cabinet secretariat, Professor Lionel Robbins and Mr. J. E. Meade, is of the first importance, for its purpose is not merely to endeavour to co-ordinate the British and American Clearing Union Plans (the Keynes and the White plans), but to make agree- ment on this, if it can be achieved, the basis for a wide international accord. Not much is likely to be heard of the conversations while they are in progress, but their outcome may have a profound influence on international trade and finance in the post-war period.

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Th.! Communist Youth rally at the Coliseum on Sunday produced two impressions on at least one onlooker:. The young people of both sexes were excellent material, keen, attentive, fair-minded, judging by the incidence of their applause. But the bulk of the cheering was reserved for two subjects—anything about Russia, and anything about a Second Front. Social reform,—Beveridge Report and the rest—seemed to be treated as irrelevant, and it was impossible not to wonder what, under the label of Communism, these eager young men and women believed. Could they put their faith into words? If so, was it the Gospel of Marx, or of Lenin, or of Trotsky, or of whom? If it was simply general discontent

with things as they are, is it a discontent that can be made construc- tive and fruitful? Not, perhaps, an easy question to answer, but one well worth answering. * * * * My attention has been called (I have just invented this service- able phrase) to Statutory Rules and Orders 1943 No. 1216, issued by the Ministry of Supply. You can buy it from the Stationery Office for a penny. Its operative clause runs thus:

1. The Control of Tins Cans Kegs Drums and Packaging Pails (No. 5) Order, 1942(2), as varied by the Control of Tins Cans Kegs Drums and Packaging Pails (No. 6) Order, 1942(b), the Control of Tins Cans Kegs Drums and Packaging Pails (No. 7) Order, 1942(c), the Control of Tins Cans Kegs-Drums and Packaging Pails (No. 8) Order, 1942(d), and the Control of Tins Cans Kegs Drums and Packaging Pails (No. 9) Order, 1942(e), is hereby further varied in the Third Schedule thereto (which is printed at p. 2 of the printed (No. 6) Order), in " Part II. Commodities other than Food," by substituting for the reference " 2A " therein, the reference " 2A(1)" ; and by deleting therefrom the reference " 2B ".

This is excellent news, that will gladden the heart of every public- spirited citizen. Why the Ministry of Supply could not leave it at that is unimaginable. Jettisoning gratuitously the sound and time-honoured principle that a Government Department never

explains, it adds—quite incredibly—an Explanatory Note, which reads: " The above Order enables tinplate to be used for tobacco and snuff tins other than cutter-lid tobacco tins."

What is to be said of this unwarrantable insult to the national intelligence? What kind of a people do they think we are? Do

they suppose we can't read plain English? * * * *

I had meant to draw attention earlier to the admirable little shilling booklet (published by Hutchinson) by Sir Geoffrey Knox— who was formerly Chairman of the Saar Govettiing Commission and later British Minister at Budapest—called The Last Peace and the Next, and now that. I do draw attention to it I have only space to say " Read it." It is not necessary to agree with every- thing the writer says, but it is of great value to have the issues at

stake so plainly stated and the lessons of experience brought to bear on them.

* * * * A valuable piece of etymological information has come my way this week, in the shape of an explanation why a jeep is called a jeep. The word, it appears, is an opportune creation from the initials G.P.

—a General Purpose car. When the jeeps all go home they might make the British Medical Association their legatee. It will save a

lot of breath if we can talk about the position of jeeps under the Beveridge scheme.

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I learn, by-the way, that Lake Mackinac, Michigan, is not (as stated somewhere in last week's Spectator) in Lake Michigan but in Lake Huron. Very irritating of it. JANUS.