A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
THE decision to enlist Mr. Ancurin Bevan to reinforce Sir Stafford Cripps in the devaluation debate last week is of some historical interest, in view of the previous association between Minister of Health and Chancellor. Most people remember the episode of Sir Stafford's expulsion from the Labour Party in 1939, but not everyone recalls that Mr. Bevan and Mr. G. R. Strauss went with him into exile. The connection of the three Ministers with one another centred in those days largely round the paper Tribune, which was started in 1937 to voice the views held by the Socialist League, of which Sir Stafford was chairman ; it was understood that the paper was financed largely by him. Mr. Bevan was editor and one of the directors ; Mr. Strauss was a shareholder. The three ejected rebels were already three musketeers, invoking the written word in support of the spoken. Times changed ; the war came ; breaches were healed ; the berserk sheep were called back to the fold in 1940. In 1945 all three of them became Ministers. But as in war, when the men obey a higher call the women step in. Mr. Bevan transferred his shares to his wife, Miss Jennie Lee, who is a member of the editorial board of the journal. Mr. Strauss transferred his to Mrs. Strauss. She, on her part, had already written a book on " Cripps—Advocate and Rebel." Altogether a solid bundle of fasces. The original three make a notable trinity—Rugby, Winchester and Serhowy Elementary School—characteristic of the catholic composition of the Labour Party, and with chief honour due to Serhowy. Does all this invest with any special importance Tribune's demand, " Let's Have An Election Now" ? I doubt it.
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