From Far Cathay
It seems that the Labour delegation was in no very good humour when it arrived back from China at London Airport on Tuesday, minus Mr. Attlee, who was still in New Zealand. The joint report on its mission was still unprepared and it had been agreed apparently that there should be no individual statements. The cat was away but for once the mice were not going to play. ' Why should I bother with the Press ? ' Mr. Morgan Phillips was reported to have enquired. Mr. Aneurin Bevan brought himself to observe that he could not understand why the mission had been so widely criticised as ill-timed and undesirable. If he spends a little time reading through the brilliant despatches of the Manchester Guardian correspondent, Mr. G. S. Gale, who accompanied the delega- tion, perhaps he will understand a little better. They were indeed one good reason for crossness in the delegation. But if Mr. Bevan felt a little out of temper, there was another good reason. It was indeed unwise of Mr. Attlee to lead such a mission at such a time—if one thinks only of its immediate effect on American opinion. But would he not have been still more unwise if. as leader of the Labour Party, he had stayed at home, allowing Mr. Bevan to make a triumphal progress and to return, just in time for the annual conference, in the role of conquering hero ? If that had happened, might not the damage to Anglo-American relations have been greater in the long run ? So far Mr. Attlee is winning, as usual, in his quid way. It is to be hoped that he will exert himself and keep Li up at Scarborough.
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