Spectator's Notebook

The vice-presidency of Spiro Agnew has ii"ot, on the whole, excited much enthusiasm even among the most devout Republicans, and it is likely that the call for the impeachment or resignation of President Nixon would have been considerably stronger and louder than it has been, if there were any confidence in Agnew as the man to restore prestige, dignity and moral authority to the White House. Though the opinion polls at the end of July showed that three quarters of the American people believed the President to have been involved at least in the Watergate cover-up, only a third of those so persuaded of his culpability felt that he should resign. Ironically enough, it is possible that VicePresident Agnew's own troubles — which at first sight may have seemed to the cynical merely to confirm a deep-rooted rottenness in the state of Washington politics — could result in a drastic change in this situation; assuming, that is, that the Vice-President is able to continue to maintain the cleanliness of his hands in the teeth of anything the ' investigations ' in Maryland may uncover.

In his televised statement and the subsequent press conference, following on the rumours and allegations of his involvement in miscellaneous financial skulduggery, including bribery, extortion and tax evasion, Agnew certainly put up a notably better show than Nixon had done when appearing before the television public in not entirely dissimilar circumstances. Where Nixon faced the microphones and cameras naïvely equivocating, accepting responsibility but denying blame, exuding sanctimony and mock humility, with such trappings as a background portrait of Abraham Lincoln and a foreground portrait of the happy Nixon family that were almost a parody of the art of the PR man, Agnew simply stood up grimly and forthrightly and indignantly denied everything. Under pressure and accusation he gained as much stature as Nixon had lost. It was no surprise that the immediate public reaction in the US was favourable and sympathetic; and if events show that his indignation is justified and his apparent truthfulness genuine, while Nixon's credibility is even further eroded, that reaction may prove to be very important indeed.

Poles apart

A young Polish lady at present temporarily resident and working in this country wished this summer to visit some relatives of hers in Canada. This proved not to be the simple matter that those unacquainted with the ways of Eastern Bloc bureaucracy may imagine.

The lady discovered, for starters, that her ' exit permit ' from Poland was not especially comprehensive: it permitted her to leave Poland only to visit other parts of Europe, and a further ' permit' would have to be entered in her passport if she wished to visit Canada. Nevertheless she applied for such a permit in good time — allowing some two months for what the people at the Polish Consulate assured her was a mere formality.

It was not long enough. A week before her booked charter flight was due to take off, the necessary approval had not been received from Warsaw. The people at the Consulate were sorry; it was too bad; they could do nothing without the instructions from Warsaw; and they were not expecting any further papers of that kind for another ten days. It should be made clear that the lady was only asking ' permission' to comply with her own country's regulations (neither Britain nor Canada required her to have it) and so that she could return to Poland without difficulty.

At this point she recounted her predicament to an American friend, a man who fortunately felt that there must be a way out of so trivial a di?ficulty. Was there no one in Warsaw she could telephone to hasten the missing document? She tried that, but to no avail. Whereas her American friend felt there was nothing to lose if he went to the Polish Consulate on her behalf and had words at the top. And somehow, for inscrutable reasons, perhaps because no risks of rifts between East and West, however small, are taken, this worked. The Consul-General himself could give the necessary permit; and did so; and the lady left for Canada on schedule and is doubtless enjoying her visit.

It is nice to know that, even in a country apparently so entangled in red tape, it is still possible to confront a man of real authority, and to find that authority human after all. But there is a sequel that casts a light shadow over the happiness of this ending. A few days after her departure, the papers so long expected from Warsaw arrived. She doesn't know it yet, but her application, we gather, was refused.

Out of tune

Anyone who saw that television tribute to Cole Porter the other night (or, at least, anyone over forty) must have had as sad and as cogent a reminder as could conceivably be imagined of the changes that have been wrought in the style and content of popular songs since Porter's heyday. It is not simply that " they don't write them like that any more" (to tell the truth, no one else ever did; Cole Porter's blend of sentiment and sophistication was uniquely his own, and the ingenuity of some of his rhyming schemes has never been equalled); it is essentially that 'they' no longer try to write them like that, and would have a thin chance of selling if they did.

Some of' the kicking, Dorothy..parkl' lyrics ('It's All Right With Me,' say) trig by, but in the field of romantic lyrics,.., generation that listens to and buys t01 pop songs is on a different wavelength, merely amused by the sentiments exer,, in such numbers as So Nice to Conle To," In the Still of the Night,' ' Easy to or 'Night and Day,' and songwriters in° ably reflect the manners and mores Ofetli public. It is a public largely disenchant the idea of what used to be called 4. (' What Is This Thing?' as Cole Porter /19" This is something that may well haePerlo nearly everybody. It is probably realistic.' it is sad that it happens so young.

Incidentally, and even sadder, it was rible programme.

The quiet sport

The National Hunt racing season gp, quietly, indeed almost imperceptibly, at ket Rasen the Saturday before last. The mildly unquiet aspect of its beginning, widely reported on the following Sunda)ti'l Monday, was that one of the leading Incloi Barry Brogan, had not had his riding he renewed. But this, too, soon became 4' again. Remarkably so. Mr Brogan, who was not riding at the of last season, having been ill and overlo seemed taken aback by the non-arrival 04: licence. He had been booked for, and 118101 cepted, four rides at the opening Mee'ici which he was unable to take — to the ed siderable outrage of both himself an trainer who had booked him, both men lavishly quoted in their disgruntlement, t'J,: inquiry Mr Brogan was told that he '; report on the Monday before the rulers 01 sport in Portman Square. Followers of NH racing must have ,treftt■ agog — or at least curious — to knoo explanation of this strange business, esPecy iy as tne jockey himself could offer merely protesting his innocence of wIlet it was that had led to the summons to h`i, quarters. After Monday's headlines, thIlljtt'? the papers were unusually reticent Tuesday, Mr Brogan had seen the steW:o his licence had been renewed after all anm,iii delay was smoothly attributed to the to, completion of formalities and to " anfor standing appointment with Mr Bob Ande'p the chief investigating officer of Racel Security Services," The first part 01 op; official statement is plainly applesau8r the second is, at best, mysterious. Mr 131:10. was quoted as saying, with surprising ness, that he had "never had anythins worry about." This would hardly do for, say, footba,'e if a player of an eminence comparable tniliv gan's had been so treated by the Footha,„',,iii; sociation, finding himself barred from in the opening match of the season v`iltof explanation offered. It would not do, el`cpt for the football writers or their editors, e411 cially if all or most of them knew, or thn" they knew, what the explanation was

Food for thought

e'Cal" It is a grievous corollary of the Anle'l tie isation of our 'cheap eating' habits "Lipt4 proliferation of gaudily starred-and0 pancake parlours and the hamburger cno'io — that the traditional British sausage to be in decline, both in quality and 8,1cjis. ability. ' Bangers-and-mash ' have all htl,`,,ffs appeared from all but the most dieharc1 and the over-cooked, under-meated satlAs'id served in pubs are little more than bren'opf, seasoning under their tough-textured This is the way the world ends, Eliot To have said, not with a banger but WI wimpy.