17 JANUARY 1964, Page 12

Talking at Ditchley In wartime the lovely house of Ditchley

Park near Oxford was on occasion a headquarters of Winston Churchill's, and here a number of im- portant talks with American leaders were held. It is now the Anglo-American Conference Centre and last weekend saw a remarkable tribute tq the influence it already possesses and a glimpse of what in time it may become. A dozen Senators and Congressmen were prepared to fly over from Washington for a weekend course. Most of them could only be in this country for three or four days. The home team, or rather teams, for no less than four different sides were fielded, was of formidable strength. And as usual the hours out bf school were at least as valuable as the more formal discussions. Quoodle spent most of his spare time arguing in favour of 'socialised medicine.'