A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
EARL DE LA It speaking as a National Labour Party Minister, appeals for the formation of some kind. of Centre Party. Lord Allen of Hurtwood, inter- viewed after his withdrawal from the National Labour Party on the grounds of its oppoSition to the maintenance of sanctions against Italy, urges that all persons of democratic mind should find means of combining. Mr. Robert Bernays, 3I.P., in a letter to The Times, to which that journal devoted its first leader, holds the need to be the organisation of all men of goodwill ranging from the Conservative Left to the Opposition Liberals. And another letter in The Times, signed by five younger Conservative M.P.'s, contends with some justice that what is wanted is the formulation of a clear-cut policy on lines which they briefly summarise. Actually their policy would be claimed by Mr. Baldwin as identical with his own. They are nearer the mark when they call for " clear and resolute leadership." Parties are sufficiently in the melting-pot today for a convinced and resolute leader to be able to effect some new alignment, such as a concentration of the forces of the Left Centre. But where is the leader ? Mr. Churchill is the nearest to a possibility, but he is never more than spasmodically Left Centre and his movements are unpredictable.
Mr. J. H. Thomas's evidence before the Budget tribunal regarding the tempting offers he has had for his autobiography, and his acceptance of £20,000 for the still unwritten story of his life, throws an interesting light on a question that has more than once been dis- cussed in this column—the financial value of the biographies or autobiographies of public men. As values go, Mr. Thomas must be congratulated on his bargain. The sum mentioned is of course a great deal less than was paid one way and another for Mr. Lloyd George's Memoirs. But that work has run into four volumes already and will probably rim to six. A better comparison is with Lord Snowden. Though the Labour Chancellor's two volumes -brought in what was generally regarded, and in fact was, a very reasonable figure, that figure, I have good grounds for saying, was less than half what Mr. Thomas has in prospect. Another basis of com- parison is Mr. Duff Cooper's Haig (in two volumes). It was given in evidence in legal proceedings regarding a book by Lady Haig on her husband that a Sunday paper paid £10,000 for the right of publishing selections from Mr. Duff Cooper's work in advance. Serial rights are usually worth a good deal more than the book rights.
* * One point which I find has perplexed people a great deal is Mr. Thomas' declaration that he has been offered large sums for his life-story " including the sad event of last year." What was this mysterious occurrence ? The King's death, one supposed for a moment. But King George (lid not die last year, but thiS year, and in any ease there is no reason why Mr. Thomas should have more than any other citizen to say on that. Persons with retentive memories have been sending them roving over the obituaries of 1985 without -result and are almost driVen in despair to conclude that the reference was to the Colonial Secretary's transfer from his previous office.
,* * * With the Pope's cordial references to " the. triumphant joy of a great and good people and a peace which it is hoped will be a true European peace " still in their ears, the Roman Catholic. papers in this country, most of which have 'disapproved of the Italian aggression, find themselves in some difficulty, and get out of it in different ways. The Tablet observes that the Holy Father spoke of the Italians as a " great and good people," and we need not grudge them that tribute. Perhaps not, but the Holy Father said more than that. All the other papers take the line that . Communism is a menace and that most of the support of the League is an anti-God movement, " Moscow," says the Catholic Times," captured the League of Nations and with it the Nonconformist bodies, numbers of Anglicans,. and, of course, the Labour Party." The. Catholic Herald ,utters the rather naïve reminder that " Italians have had no opportunity whatever to judge of both sides of the case," and observes that " granted Fascism, a Fascist Empire may have been a necessity." It adds that " in retaliation for uncivilised methods of warfare Italy has recourse to gas—as we had during the War and as we intend to again next time." The italics are mine. We signed the anti-gas convention of 1925.
Diligent readers of the correspondence columns of The Spectator will perhaps recall the appearance there some three months ago (on February 14th, to be precise) of a letter from Mr. Patteson Moss, the Oxford undergraduate whose tragic death under a burning haystack is at present being investigated. It was a contribution to the dis- cussion on " Idealism and Religion," initiated by Miss Patricia Gilbert-Lodge. Mr. Patteson Moss's contention was that there is room and need in life for belief as well as for the processes of reason. " The issue at. stake," authority beyond wrote, " is whether there is not some uthority beyond the purely individual habits of mind formed by heredity and upbringing to which we can appeal as the source of the values we accept." His evident conviction was that there is.
• * * I am glad to see that the Emperor of Ethiopia has since Tuesday been a fellow member with me of the Cambridge Union. Thanks. to the enterprise of that admirable institution His Majesty will have the oppor- tunity—not open to my generation—of playing squash rackets on the Union premises and entertaining members of the women's colleges at a cocktail-bar. I hope he will duly value his privileges.
* * * * Precision " When I say I belong to the Left Wing of my party I mean that I do not belong to the Right Wing of my party."—Miss Irene Ward in the House of Commons.
JANUS.
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