Shot in the Arm
The Way of the World. By 'Peter Simple.' (The Daily Telegraph, 5s.) THE Daily Telegraph, both before and after it swallowed the Morning Post, enjoyed for many years the reputation of being the dullest national newspaper in England. Reliable yes, readable hardly, and what we used to call 'bourgeois' all the way. When, therefore, Mr. Colin Welch was given the job two years ago of writing and editing a witty column of comment in the Telegraph four days a week, it was generally assumed that this was bound to be terribly unfunny. A few months later one of his Left-wing colleagues. said it was, in print : so great is the power of preconception over perception. In fact, like all such columns, it frequently fails. But as this collection shows, it is remarkable how often it succeeds. It is clear, too, that for the past year Mr. Welch has found a happy fellow contributor in Mr. Michael Whar- ton.
Satire, comment, parody, jokes, occasionally straight invective, it is something new in English journalism. A few of the characters, such as General Sir Frederick (Tiger') Nidgett, late of the Army Tailoring Corps, are reminiscent of Beachcomber's sustained figures of farce, but here they are used to make a sharp point : the General's vast and futile military operation against a deserted sheikdom was cruelly topical last year. At times there is a zany humour that recalls the `Cruiskeen Lawn' column in the Irish Times. But the consistent political point of view gives a unity to the collection that most humorous coital-ins lack. If you hate the Welfare State, this is your book. If you bate people who hate the Welfare State, it will send a stimulating shot of adrenalin coursing through your veins. If you don't care one way or the other, it will still make
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