—Portrait of the Week— IN Cyprus a group of twenty-five
EOKA terrorists were captured in what was described as one of the most successful round-ups of the emergency. But their capture did not diminish terrorist activity; ambushes and assaults con- tinued. The Colonial Secretary referred to Cyprus as a Turkish offshore island; the Prime Minister claimed it was an international, not a colonial problem; Archbishop Makarios offered to accept a seven-year period of self-government for the island, provided it was not on the basis of Mr. Macmillan's partnership plan; and the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr. Averoff, said that his country's relations with Turkey could hardly become worse 'because worse could only be war.' Tunisia broke off diplomatic relations with the United Arab Republic.
ALL THREE PARTIES to the offshore islands dispute — the Chinese Communists, the Formosa Nationalists, and the Americans—tried to take credit for the continuance of the Quemoy cease- fire. General Chiang claimed 'we won'; the Com- munists explained that their inaction did them no harm, and only hurt the Americans; and Mr. Dulles proudly noted that Pekin had referred to America as a 'great nation.'
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IN FRANCE General de Gaulle surprised and pleased many of his opponents (M, Mendes-France among them) by taking decisive action to prevent the rigging of the Algerian elections by an army- colon alliance. He ordered the army to get out of all political activity, insisting that electoral lists representative of all tendencies' should be allowed. To the dismay of the All-Algeria Com- mittee of Public Safety, General Massu and other officers obeyed.
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THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE came to an end at Blackpool with standing ovations for the Foreign. Secretary, the Chairman, and the Prime Minister. Lord Hailsham proved that last year's Brighton performance was no flash in the pan; in Blackpool, too, he bathed, rang the bell, and won an ecstatic reception. With remarkable skill Mr. R. A. Butler soothed savage Tory breasts on crime and punishment, and Mr. J. E. S. Simon quietened the impending wrath over post-war credits.
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CONSERVATIVE MINISTERS had reason for pride: sterling's new strength was reflected in a record balance of payments, the total surplus being the highest ever recorded; and the gold reserves were still rising. But labour trouble at London Airport and elsewhere took some of the gloss off what might otherwise have been Prosperity Week. BOAC services from the airport came to a stand- still over an unofficial strike on what to outward aPpettrinces was a quibble—but a quibble whose outcome demonstrated the existence of deplorable labour relations in the corporation.
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THE GOVERNMENT published its new pensions Plan, with a maximum scale of £6 a week for Married couples : the weekly contributions will start (if the plan is enacted) at 26s. 6d. a week, of which the employee will pay 15s. 5d. The Restrictive Trade Practices Court completed its first hearing. An American rocket rose farther into space than any yet launched; a slight error In the speed with which it was launched, however, deprived it of its chance to become the first Moon satellite. Pope Pius XX Was buried in the crypt of St. Peter's.
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