_A SPECTATOR
3S NOTEBOOK WHILE it can be well understood that General de Gaulle is impatient over the postponement of his journey to North Africa, it is plain from the latest turn of events that General Eisenhower—who, after all, knew what was impending—was abundantly justified in asking the Fighting French leader to put his journey off. General Giraud has work on hand at the moment more important even than th... supremely important task of cementing French unity. Meanwhile something is being done for French unity in London. The twelve members of Parliament, Senators, and Deputies, who have enrolled themselves under the presidency of M. Felix Gouin, are, of course, all sound members of the Free French movement, but they feel it important to lay special emphasis on the need for the unity of all Frenchmen opposed to the common enemy. The future of the group will be watched with interest, particularly in the light of the reference in its manifesto to "a new Parliament, arising from a constitution adapted to the necessities of the day." There is, by the way, one activity of the Fighting French movement which is arousing considerable criticism. Its weekly paper, La Marseillaise, habitually adopts an anti-American attitude which, I believe, is strongly resented in many American quarters, and is certainly disapproved in many British—and, indeed, in some French. It is not satisfactory that a journal published on British soil, on paper allocated by the British paper control, and presumably drawing support from funds advanced from British sources, should adopt so persistently critical an attitude towards a nation which may, without invidiousness, be described as Britain's closest Ally.
If Mr. Gandhi carries out his reported intention of fasting again, this time "to the death," Mr. Gandhi, it must be assumed, will die. No one can seriously imagine that a Government which declined to give way during one fast will be deflected from its course by another. There is one aspect of the situation to which little attention has been given. During the disorders of last summer and autumn, for which Mr. Gandhi, despite his disclaimers, must bear a large share of responsibility, the police,—Indian police,—carried out their difficult and dangerous duties with exemplary courage and fidelity to duty. Some were killed, many were injured, but disorder was checked and order restored. What, it is asked in a letter I have just received from India, would have been felt by them if the Government, having acted with firmness and promptitude in the matter of Mr. Gandhi and other Congress leaders, had been intimidated last month or were intimidated today by the threat of a fast for twenty-one days or even to the death? From the same letter I may quote one other remark of interest. It so happened that a party of Turkish journalists was visiting India during the Gandhi fast. The leader, Mr. Atay, caused considerable chagrin in Congress circles by declaring repeatedly in published speeches and interviews that nowhere on the Continent of Europe, except perhaps in Sweden and Switzerland, did such freedom of utterance and criticism exist as was enjoyed by the peoples of India.
The precise part played by Lord Keynes in the flotation of the Treasury's International Clearing Union scheme is an insoluble mystery ;• but it would be safe, I think, to put it at not less than the figure President Roosevelt fixed on last week in another connexion, 95 per cent. However that may be, there is one phrase
which catches the eye in an explanatory memorandum accompanying the report. In a reference to the duties incumbent on debit countries it is observed that "the wind is tempered to shorn Iambs, but they are not exempted from the obligation to grow new wool, and there are provisions for extruding them in extreme cases from the fold." Those who have read The Economic Consequences of the Peace, or remember Lord Keynes's speeches at the Cambridge Union forty years ago, will find such phrasing familiar.
There are a lot of things in this war that seem strange to the simple-minded. American bombers, I see, have again been attacking Japanese bases at Kiska in the Aleutian Islands. But why have the Japanese been left for twelve. months or more in occupation of American soil on the American continent, with no serious attempt to turn them out? It may be that they are doing no particular harm there and can be left alone, except for occasional bombings, till it really becomes worth while to get rid of them. It is true, no doubt, that they are not likely to get, much further towards the United States, or even towards Alaska, from their base at Kiska. But while they are there they are preventing the Americans from using the Aleutians as.a jumping-off ground for raids on Japan, and they evidently attach importance to that. So, one would suppose, must America. But no doubt America is simply biding her time.
Out of a considerable correspondence which a paragraph in this column last week about Jews and rationing offences has elicited td I select one letter which encloses cuttings relating to deeds of signal bravery achieved by Jews in the various services. I most readily give the fullest recognition to that, but the bravery of the best Jews has no real relevanc2 to the knavery of the worst Jews. The latter. I am afraid, is doing more harm to the Jewish name than the former is doing it good. In reply to those who think that the reference to the record of a "substantial" section of Jews is an exaggeration. I am quite willing to substitute "appreciable."
The news that Mark Bonham-Carter is missing is desperately saddening, and, as when his uncle, Raymond Asquith, was killed in the last war, the loss to humanity cannot be computed. For all the Asquith brilliance—inherited through his mothcr, Lady Violet— shone in Mark, and it was set off by a modesty and charm which made up a promise that it is almost intolerable to find frustrated of fulfilment. He, of course, won a senior scholarship at Balliol, but his short war-time Oxford career gave him no opportunity of following family tradition in the matter of the Craven and Ireland. He only got to North Africa in the middle of February, was in action with his regiment almost at once, and was last seen, carrying on though wounded, with a vanguarti that had attained its objectives in a local attack about three weeks ago. Exactly three years ago, while still in the Sixth at Winchester, he wrote an admirable article for The Spectator on the public-school boy's view of public-school reform. " Missing " is, of course, not absolutely final.
Could any erudite person give me a little information regarding Miss Agnew, author of two novels, Geraldine and The Young Communicant, to which J. A. Fronde made interesting reference in a conversation in 5848? She seems unknown to books of reference.
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