A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
IF there was ever any truth in the statement of the German wire- less that Mr. Eden was contemplating a visit to America it is clear that the intention could not be carried out at present, for while the Prime Minister is laid up the presence of the Foreign Secretary in the House of Commons, to say nothing of the War Cabinet, is indispensable. As Leader of the House Mr. Eden has already proved an outstanding success. His courtesy, his good humour, his ability to suffer fools gladly and his command of the mot juste (as when he answered a question about whether the Government had any statement to make in view of the large minority vote in the Beveridge Report debate by observing, " No, sir, the Government has no statement to make. They are going to get on with their job ") make up just that combination of qualities which enable him with com- plete success to guide without driving and preserve an atmosphere which in all ordinary cases prevents criticism from developing to the point of acrimony. Opinion at Westminster has now with sub- stantial unanimity accorded the Foreign Secretary the second place in the political hierarchy. Whether he would be equal to filling the first place if that question ever arose is a different matter. But at least there is no suggestion of anyone else who would be better fitted for such a task—or as well.
* * * * The death of Mr. E. W. Record, editor of the Birmingham Post, recalls what was probably the most important decision he had to take during his ten-years' editorship. He told me about it the last time I saw him.• The Abdication crisis in 1936, it will be remembered, was first broken to the public in at address delivered by the Bishop of Bradford, Dr. Blunt, at a diocesan conference, though his references to a situation known to a few people to exist were so broad and guarded that the papers could have ignored them and left things as they were. Each paper had to take its own decision. Dr. Blunt's speech was made on a Tuesday. Should the Press take up his oblique references to the King and make the prospect of a royal marriage a subject of public discussion? If so, the leaders must be written that very evening ; there was no time to deliberate or seek advice. Record read the Bishop's words, and then, as he told me, after talking to one or two of his staff, who counselled him to leave it alone, went out for a short walk and reflected. Then he came back and wrote a leader on a situation which the papers had long known about but never mentioned. That, of course, appeared on the Wednesday ; so did a similar leader in the Yorkshire Post. The Times and other London papers did not comment till Thursday. The provincial Press had given London a lead—and a sound one.
* * * * I am indebted to Mr. Wickham Steed for refreshing—and correcting—my memory regarding the Oyster headline. I gave it as " Oyster Jams Ice Probe," meaning that a Congressman named Oyster had obstructed an investigation into some deal in ice. It should read " Oyster Starts Jam Probe," Oyster being the Commissioner of Police at Washington, D.C., in 1921, and the subject of investigation being the record traffic-jam which marked the Unknown Warrior celebration at Arlington Cemetery in that year. (I ought to have remembered, for I was in Washington at the time.) The paper responsible was, I believe, the Washington Post. An alternative version that reaches me is " Oyster Bars Jam Probe," Mr. Oyster being in this case a Senator or Congressman. I have at the moment no facilities for investigating his career. Lady Apsley's victory in Bristol Central was a considerable achievement. She could hardly have had a more formidable opponent than Miss Jennie Lee, yet her majority was even higher than Lord Apsley's over his Labour opponent eight years ago on a total vote three times as large,—this, moreover, though the poll came the day after the maladroitness of Sir John Anderson in the Beveridge debate had been supplemented by the ineptitude of Sir Kingsley Wood,—an event which it was generally estimated would turn the scale decisively in Miss Lee's favour. No doubt sympathy for Lady Apsley in her courage both in taking up her husband's political work on his death and the gallantry with which she sustains the disabilities caused by a hunting accident some years ago told in her favour, but to increase the Conservative majority in the circumstances existing was a notable feat none the less. , At the same time I have some sympathy with a commentator who points out that the number of women who have succeeded their husbands in the House of Commons is getting so considerable as to inspire the hope that the thing will not become a habit. To be, or to have been, someone's wife is not sufficient reason for selection as a candidate or election as a member.
In connexion with the disaster to the American Clipper which exploded and was destroyed in the Tagus on Monday I see that a list of six known survivors has been published. One of the six is an American diplomat ; of another the name only is given ; the other four are described respectively as a New York radio star, a New York professional accordion-player, a dancer, a singer. There may, of course, be reasons of public policy why at a time when accommodation in transatlantic aircraft is hopelessly unequal to the needs of persons engaged on urgent war-work seats should be found for a radio-star, an accordion-player, a dancer and a singer. I have no means of knowing. This, moreover, represents only four out of six identified survivors ; particulars of other passengers on the lost liner are not available. There appears, on the face of it, to be some confirmation for the allegation that more privileges than one go by favour.
* * * More News Values Lord Beaverbrook spoke in the House of Lords on Tuesday on a Second Front. His speech, and his final reply, wee variously valued (in inches) by different London papers as follows:
Daily Herald Daily. Mail News Chronicle ri
Daily Telegraph xi+ Times 52 Daily Express 58 In other words, the Express 58, the rest combined 46+. Fifty-eight inches for one of the most mischievous and irresponsible speeches delivered since the war began seems sufficiently generous measure. Lord Trenchard described the speech as " most dangerous." It would only be that if the speaker were taken seriously on matters of strategy. Anyone can be oracular on where blows should be struck. * * * * His chief demand (I read in G. D. H. Cole's recent pamphlet on Richard Carlile) was for the reduction of the national Budget tot.] from £60 millions to £m millions. It seems a laudable desire. The year was 1823. 5+ 6f
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