Sir Leslie's Conge It would be affectation to pretend that
the severance between Sir Leslie Plummer and the Overseas Food Corporation is not good news. It is the best possible news. Sir Leslie, no doubt, has great ability. He was no doubt a most efficient newspaper- manager. A successful chairman of the Overseas Food Corpora- tion he unquestionably was not. The series of resignations from the Corporation's directorate or staff, the unconcealed discontent among officials who refrained from resigning, were traceable far more to the view held, rightly or wrongly, of the chairman in London than to any other cause. Now the chairman goes, and the mention of compensation makes it clear under what circumstances he goes. Mr. Webb, who initiated an enquiry into the whole groundnuts situation as soon as he took office, has acted, as a result of the enquiry, with courage and decision. No argument or persuasion would induce Mr. Strachey to part with Sir Leslie, but with a new man at the Ministry of Food there are clearly new policies. It is probably no more than a coincidence that Mr. Webb made his announcement the day after Mr. Strachey had flown off to Malaya, but there is something almost symbolic in it. Ground- nuts officials most outspoken in their criticism of the existing regime have always insisted on the inherent potentialities of the scheme. That makes a wise selection of a successor to Sir Leslie Plummer all-important. Mr. Webb has only half completed his task so far.
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