SHARP-SHOOTERS
SIR,;--Congratulations on getting David Marquand to do that little piece on the Monarchy. What with Anthony Hartley and Constantine Fitz- Gibbon and Robert Conquest and Bernard Levin— and now David Marquand—the paper is beginning to give the feel of a cosy rest-home for political sharp-shooters.
Before 1 began reading the Marquand piece, I took a bet with myself that there would be, some- where tucked away, a slur of some kind against CND. And, sure enough, there it was in the second column—and in very distinguished company : Mr. Macmillan, the public schools, the TUC, Tribune and those other tribal figures of Mr. Marquand's imagination. What a come-up! I remember when Mr. Marquand placed us in that other list he has- -the 'shaggy radicals'—but that was long ago: nearly two years. It is refreshing, all in the same year, for CND to be 'pacifists,' 'fellow-travellers; of Moscow' and 'agents of the Tories.' Pretty versatile, that Campaign. In the month in which we are accused of violence, Mr. Marquand finds us 'bland': where Mr. Gaitskell sees agents of Moscow, Mr. M sees only the 'thick patina of Respectability.' While Mr. George Brown is sending us back to Moscow, the Spectator accuses us of telling people that Britain is 'the best of all possible countries.' Mean- while, the PM thinks we are undermining the fabric of the nation. Well, it is all great fun, and such re- sponsible journalism too, and very diverting. I par- ticularly relish that composite column they all write in Starbuck's inimitable style (one reference was a bit obscure, though : are we to take it the Spectator approves of poisoning Socrates?).
I look forward to Mr. Marquand's life of Ramsay MacDonald, for which I respectfully sugg,,-i the sub-title, 'or how the CND kept the nation goia.4.
STUART HALL.
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