A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK T HE Prime Minister's broadcast on his Washington
visit has been criticised on the ground that Mr. Attlee said nothing— or at any rate said nothing new. But what should he have said ? What was there to say ? In that case, it may be rejoined, why broadcast at all ? For a very good reason. It is quite true that the Prime' Minister had already given an account of his talks with President Truman to the House of Commons, and that the House would have been justly indignant if he had added on Saturday even- ing anything that he had kept back on Tuesday afternoon. But Mr. Attlee did not go to Washington simply as representative of the Government, or as representative of Parliament, but as representa- tive orthe nation, and it was eminently fitting that he should give a report to the nation on the results of his journey. The nation, of course, could have read the Commons statement in the papers, or if it liked in Hansard, but most of the nation probably wouldn't, and, in any case, the living voice can often make a more effective appeal than the printed-word. On Saturday night the Prime Minister got his manner—if not his enunciation—just right, He was, if anything, too quiet in tone, but an unpretentious approach to the average Englishman is often the best approach. The time may come when more dramatic appeals are called for ; let us pray not ; anyhow they are not called for yet.
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