FRATERNITY BE DAMNED. This, according to Mr. Patrick Gordon Walker,
is the conclusion to be reached by a Socialist-become- Cabinet-Minister when he comes to the burning question: `Should he, for instance, get on to Christian-name basis with' his Civil Servants? So close and friendly, says Mr. Patrick Gordon Walker in an article 'On Being a Cabinet Minister' in Encounter, do Ministers become with their top officials, 'that many of them quickly slip into Christian names on both sides. I was perhaps too rigidly constitutional, but 1 always resisted the temptation.' Mr. Patrick Gordon Walker devotes fifty-two lines of a fairly short study to the examination of this hideous dilemma. I very much hope that the reaction of the average member of his party to this pomposity would be `Git aht of it, cock!' Mr. Patrick Gordon Walker must have had a tough time in office if in addition to his Ministerial duties and his Cabinet responsibilities he had to expend nervous energy on the ques- tion of whether to address Sir Josiah Bloggins as Josia, Josh, Sir Josiah, Bloggins, or. perhaps, just 'You' ! - PHAROS
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