A SPECTATOR ' S NOTEBOOK I T is a very great pity
that the only features of interest in the first day or two at Strasbourg should have been disputes within the British delegation, transferring to an international stage that tradition of bickering across the despatch-boxes so familiar in the House of Commons, and often so tiresome even there. To judge from newspaper reports, Mr. Morrison's manner left a good deal to be desired, but on the two issues raised he seems to have been fundamentally in the right. As for the nomination of a British Minister, Mr. Whiteley, for the office of Vice-President of the Assembly, it may or may not have been expedient, but it was obviously in order ; anyone who is eligible to sit in the Assembly is clearly eligible to hold any of the offices in it. As for the affair of Mr. John Foster's expenses, again a distinction must be drawn between expediency and the letter of the law. It was decided, quite reasonably, that it would not be justifiable, on grounds of expense, to take deputy-delegates to Strasbourg and maintain them there on the off-chance of their services being required ; they could always be sent for from England at short notice. Mr. Foster, who was deputy for Mr. Churchill, was, in the first instance, a special case. Since Mr. Churchill was only expected to stay for a day or two it seemed sensible for Mr. Foster to be there at the outset and then carry on, his expenses being for that short period paid by the Government, like those of full delegates. But when it looked as if Mr. Churchill might be staying not for a day or two but for a fortnight, obviously a different situation was created, and Mr. Morrison could hardly be blamed for making some enquiries. If Mr. Foster had continued, in that case, to be borne on the delegation strength he would have been given a privileged position over all the other deputy-delegates, which is quite certainly the last thing he himself would desire. However, there is now calm.
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