It needs a good deal of optimism to foresee that
a movement to persuade people to read Hansard will grow into a society competent to popularise Parliament generally, in the sense of familiarising the common voter with the technique of Parliamentary government, but Commander King-Hall, the founder of the Hansard Society, has achieved this with remarkable success. I am not surprised that the Hansard Society should have been chosen by General Robertson to act as mentor to parties of German politicians coming to this country from time to time to study the working of democratic institutions. This is a delicate as well as a responsible office, for the Germans may well be a little suspicious that something is being "put over them''; they have been brought up in an atmosphere of propaganda. However, the Hansard Society has taken the job on, and I gather it wants funds, for it is felt very rightly that to accept a Government grant for such a purpose as this would be a great mistake. I wash the Society luck. If anyone wants to show his sym- pathy tangibly the address is 162 Buckingham Palace Road, S.W.I.
* * * *
Previous page
