Roll Call It is excellent news that the Government has
had second thoughts and seemingly decided to rescind its earlier decision to withdraw from ELDO. But how much better if this wrong- headed and damaging decision had never been taken in the first place. It easily might not have been. In the event, the Foreign Office, which opposed withdrawal all along, was 'outvoted' by the combined forces of the Treasury—always on the look out for any opportunity to cut Govern- ment spending. particularly overseas—and the Department of Economic Affairs. But at the time the crucial decision was taken, the DEA's articulate and dedicatedly European head, Sir Eric Roll, was away attending some sort of bankers' conference in Madrid. Sir Eric. of course, was Mr Heath's right-hand man in the original Brussels negotiations and is now devot- ing what must be the last years of a distinguished public service career to preparing the ground for the present administration to make a similar attempt to join the Common Market. Had he been present in London it is unthinkable that he would have supported unilateral British with- drawal from ELDO. And had the DEA sided with the Foreign Office instead of the Treasury the FO would surely have won the day. Thus might the nation have avoided a damaging affront to its allies, and the Government escaped displaying yet another example of the irresoluke vacillation that has become the hallmark of the Wilson administration.
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