17 NOVEMBER 1950, Page 5

In the matter of Professor Ponteoorvo and others—heard is the

9.25 up.

" You know, it's all William the Conqueror's fault—bringing over all those foreigners and Protestants."

Quite true, no doubt ; there is always a cause behind a cause. In a triangular talk with me and a French professor last year General Smuts blandly remarked that the one fatal obstacle to Western Union was Joan of Arc. If the English (he tactfully left it to be inferred) had been left to conquer all France the foundations of a solid Western Europe would have been laid.