20 NOVEMBER 1942

Page 1

THE FLOWING TIDE

The Spectator

T HE flow of good news has slackened but not ceased. In Libya Rommel is still " disengaging his forces towards the west " at top- speed. Though the fall of Benghazi has not been...

The Admiral as Makeshift

The Spectator

The issues involved in General Eisenhower's acceptance of Admiral Darlan as High Commissioner in French North Africa are discussed in an article on a later page. Profound...

The Solomons Victory

The Spectator

The great naval and air battle which began in the Solomons shortly after midnight in the morning of November 13th was fought in successive stages until the morning of November...

Page 2

Hitler the Infallible

The Spectator

The legend of German invincibility and military prescience has suffered severe blows in the last three weeks. Confident of its ability to hold its own in Egypt, the Axis army...

The Eighth Army's Feat

The Spectator

The momentous events in French North Africa have somewhat obscured the magnitude of the operations still being conducted by the Eighth Army in Libya. Through lack of means and...

Theatres for the People

The Spectator

It is unbelievable that after the war the present or any other British Government will fail to pursue its profitable war-time experi- ment•in helping C.E.M.A. (the Council for...

Civil Defence Duties

The Spectator

The observance of "Civil Defence Day " on Sunday last was at the same time a reminder of the great battle of endurance which this country sustained during the heavy bombardments...

Dr. Temple on Christian Duty

The Spectator

When it is objected that some of the recent sayings of the Archbishop of Canterbury go beyond the minimum of Christian teaching and trench upon the disputable sphere of...

Page 3

A WORLD TO REBUILD C ONSIDERABLE attention has been given by

The Spectator

public men in the last few days—notably by General Smuts, Sir Stafford Cripps and Dr. Benes—to the question of post-war world-order. It is high time the public mind in all...

Page 4

A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK

The Spectator

I T is a pity that, for quite intelligible reasons, the daily papers were unable to give more than quite brief reports of the Inter- national Youth Conference held in London...

Page 5

NORTH AFRICA : SECOND PHASE

The Spectator

By STRATEGICUS Judging from the official estimates of the number of his troops put out of action, it does not seem impossible that he contrived to extricate from the forward...

Page 6

DARLAN THE QUISLING ?

The Spectator

By D. W. BROGAN UT of Africa something new. The proverb has special apposite- ness this week, when to the welcome novelty of victory has been added the transformation scene...

Page 7

I.U. AND SULGRAVE

The Spectator

Some curiosity having been aroused by references in last week's Spectator to the Intercollegiate University (from whose ashes, or, at any rate, from close proximity to them, the...

Page 8

WAGES AND ARMY PAY

The Spectator

By VISCOUNT HINCHINGBROOKE, M.P. Is this principle right and wise? Does it contribute to a high national morale, to that spirit of unity which must animate a nation engaged in...

Page 9

GOOD COMPANY

The Spectator

By C. V. WEDGWOOD " O NE who is very much delighted with being in good company," wrote William Blake under a portrait of himself ; and by " good company " he did, not mean...

THE REPORT OF UTHWATT

The Spectator

After EDWARD LEAR Expert Committee : What daintier dish could a Government get Than this well-cooked curry of Comp. and Bett, all HOT? The Report of Uthwatt. P.M. to...

Page 10

MARGINAL COMMENT

The Spectator

By HAROLD NICOLSON 1 N the rush and glitter of these miraculous weeks, at a moment when victory is being affirmed over a hundred yards of snow- necked pavement and a thousand...

Page 11

THE THEATRE

The Spectator

MR. SOMERSET MAUGHAM'S comedy was a product of the last war, and was first seen in 1919. The present revival is brilliantly acted and should be successful, in spite of the fact...

MYSELF AS INDIAN

The Spectator

THERE is a boyhood photograph In which I stand, a mighty Indian chief With feathers in my cap and in my hand A deadly tomahawk of painted wood. The throne of the Incas? It is...

THE CINEMA

The Spectator

" Road to Morocco." At the Plaza.—" We'll Smile Again." At the Odeon.—" We Sail at Midnight." Generally released. Ir is very much to the credit of. Road to Morocco that it can...

IN HOSPITAL : RESPITE

The Spectator

HE lay remembering : in the dream he dreamed A boy lazed in a meadow field alone, Young limbs outspread, a book half-open, prone Learning the summer day—or so it seemed; About...

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POLITICS AND SCHOOLS

The Spectator

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SIR,—In view of the importance and scope of the subject of the letters of Margery Reilly and John Gloag, perhaps you may permit some observations from the...

RELIGION AND THE SCHOOLS

The Spectator

SII2,—The present opportunity of coming to an agreement on this question is a challenge to the sincerity and common sense of all Christian denominations, not excluding the Roman...

- A MATTER OF DEGREES

The Spectator

Sta,—My attention has been called to your issue of November 6th, wherein " Janus " comments upon the University of Sulgrave and myself. His interpretation of Who's Who suggests...

Page 13

A SULGRAVE STONE SIR,—With reference to your interesting article in

The Spectator

The Spectator of November 13th I am writing to say that I have received letters through Earl Spencer, chairman of the Sulgrave Manor Board, from two of the trustees of the...

COMPETE OR CO-OPERATE ?

The Spectator

SIR,—I was most interested -to read in your issue of November 6th the review by Mr. G. L. Schwartz of the report British Export and Economic Reconstruction issued by the...

CORA PEARL Snt,—In his notice of my book, Ego 5,

The Spectator

your reviewer has this passage: " Surely the same kink is to blame for Mr. Agate's pernickety forefinger-wagging. There is no example of inaccuracy in his own writings, he...

MIDNIGHT HOUR "

The Spectator

SIR,—The review of Midnight Hour published in your issue of Novem- ber 13th last, which decries the value of that book upon the grounds that its author is a laggard who has...

IMPROVING LONDON Sist,—The views of the City of London Corporation

The Spectator

about the replanning of the City, as explained on November 5th, call for more comment than they have so far received. For example, it was considered " ridiculous " that the...

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A SUBJECT FOR THOUGHT Ste,—Is it considered that educated thought

The Spectator

and scientific progress are not yet sufficiently advanced to permit ventilation of a subject which, although it may be freely and objectively discussed in psychological,...

OURSELVES AND CHINA SIR,—Among the factors which I reported in

The Spectator

my article " Ourselves and China" as representing the Chinese point of view was the following: " A Chinese will tell you that he would a hundred times sooner deal with a Briton...

FURTHER SPANISH COMMENTARY Sut,—Personal issues in political discussions are, I

The Spectator

think, generally best ignored ; but as Mr. Walton, in his sparring-match with Professor Pastor, has now twice referred rather pointedly to a supposed change of attitude on my...

COUNTRY LIFE

The Spectator

A SINGULARLY lively debate took place a week ago at the annual meeting of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England; and it was constructive. In an atmosphere of general...

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BOOKS OF THE DAY .

The Spectator

'Inspiring Service Middle-East Window. isy Humphrey Bowman. (Longmans. 145.) MISCELLANEOUS memoir-readers are sure to find and enjoy a book of this kind, but it may easily...

The Naval Background

The Spectator

As the title-page indicates, 'this is a serious study, set out in such a way as to be within the capacity of the general reader. It is of great and sober interest. The approach...

Page 18

What Rome Was

The Spectator

The Roman Commonwealth. By R. W. Moore. (English Universities Press. t5s.) A SMALL town, centrally placed, unified Italy under itself, and then created an empire extending over...

Our Protestant Past

The Spectator

Tuts chief misfortune aoout Mr. Hutton's book is that it cannot be read without discomfort by anyone seriously interested in English literature. Nor is this from any...

Fiction

The Spectator

Then We Shall Hear Singing. By Storm Jameson. (Cassell. 8s. 6d.) Winter Solstice. By Dorothy Cowlin. (Cape. 8s. 6d.) Evenfield. By Rachel Ferguson. (Cape. 8s. 6d.) Table Two. By...

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The Raft and Socrates Asks Why. By Eric Linklater. (Macmillan

The Spectator

4s. 6d.) Two more conversations in the style of The Cornerstones. The first is carried on in mid-Atlantic by six survivors from a torpedoed ship: the conclusion they reach,...

Shorter Notices American Primitive Painting. By Jean Lipman. (Milford. 3os.)

The Spectator

This delightful volume, which comes from the Oxford University Press, New York, is the first book to give a comprehensive account, accompanied with a great many attractive...

Page 21

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 191

The Spectator

SOLUTION ON DECEMBER 4th The winner of Crossword No. 191 is REV. A. C. REES, Woodhouse Vicarage, Huddersfield.

" THE SPECTATOR". CROSSWORD No. 193 [A Book Token for

The Spectator

one guinea will be awarded to the sender of the first correct solution of this week's crossword to be opened after noon on Tuesday week. Envelopes should be received not later...

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FINANCE AND INVESTMENT

The Spectator

By CUSTOS WHETHER or not there was any real justification for the whispering campaign against speculation in the stock markets, the mere hint of the possibility of official...

Vanishing Island. By Elisabeth Kyle. (Peter Davies. 7s. 6d.)

The Spectator

THE best points of this story of a summer holiday in the West Coast of Scotland are the general background and the detailed descriptions of fishing, seals, boats, islands,...

Further Pocket Cartoons. By Osbert Lancaster. (Murray. 2s. 6d.)

The Spectator

OSBERT LANCASTER is almost certainly the war's best cartoonist, and his latest book is well worth its modest 2s. 6d. We watch with delight the rebuke administered to the smug...