24 OCTOBER 1941, Page 9

It is a fine thing that we in Britain have

sought no scape- goats and have affirmed that our war-innocence is proved by the fact that we were unprepared for war. The injustice which at one moment we did to King Leopold hal now been amply repaired. The monarchs and the ministers who have come to London are conscious of our sympathy and esteem. Yet there is one exile, who cannot speak for himeslf, to whom we have not been generous. Prince Paul of Yugoslavia was not an ambitious man, and all he asked of life was to be allowed in quiet to enjoy the affection of his friends and family and the artistic studies for which he was so gifted. Destiny rendered him the inheritor of King Alexander's burden, and he saw himself as an unwilling trustee bound in honour to hand on to King Peter the undamaged heritage of the Serbs, the Croats and the Slovenes. Only those who understand the appalling conflict of conscience, the urgent clash of loyalties, to which he was exposed have any right to criticise. And even they should suspend their judgement untill all the facts are known.