28 FEBRUARY 1941, Page 10

WITHOUT COMMENT

I

" As has often been argued in these columns, the war cannot be won without the encouragement of revolutionary movements in Europe, and they cannot be encouraged unless the promise of a social and economic revolution is held out by this country."— Leading article in The New Statesman and Nation, January ink 1941-

II

" Listen to this now :

" ' As has often been argued in these columns, the war cannot be won without the encouragement of revolutionary movements in Europe, and they cannot be encouraged unless the promise of a social and economic revolution is held out by this country.' This country—mark you I "

" Sounds like the Bilious Weekly."

" Go up top. It's from a leading article in that great organ." —Article by A. P. H. in Punch, January 29th, 1941.

III

" I see that A. P. H. is very snooty about the poor old Spectator. I have always thought it a most respectable paper myself and I cannot guess why Mr. Herbert thinks that the readers of Punch will like to hear it so often described as ' the bilious weekly.' It is true that there has been a lot of discussion in The Spectator about War Aims and so forth, but that is common not only among the intellectuals of The Spectator but among soldiers meet in trains, and most of all among people in the Services and the Ministry of Information, who find themselves baffled to answer queries and to think out consistent propaganda. I notice one of Mr. Herbert's jibes about the bilious weekly is that it would like to summon a parliament in Germany to investigate Prohibition. Now I suppose anyone would like to see a genuine parliament in Germany, because it would mean that there wasn't a Hitler, but why Prohibition? I don't remember that The Spectator has ever stood for it, though I doubt if it has been 35 heartily on the other side as this journal, which once had a leading article; I regret to say, reprinted by the brewers."—" Critic." in The New Statesman and Nation, February 22nd, 1941.

[The writer of the New Statesman and Nation's weekly com- mentary signed " Critic " is generally understdod to be MI. Kingsley Martin, the editor of that paper. A letter from Mr. A. P Herbert appears on page 228 of this issue.]