PEOPLE AND THINGS
By HAROLD NICOLSON
IRECEIVED the other day a number of letters from the .1. United States. Although these letters had been written and posted at various dates between September 3rd and September t2th, they reached me in a single batch. I was interested to note the shades of difference between the September 3rd vintage, the September 8th vintage, and the September 12th vintage. The earlier letters had been written under the emotion aroused by the Prime Minister's broadcast on that Sunday morning. They were resonant with admiration. By September 8th my correspondents had recovered from their initial rapture and had come to realise the magnitude of the task which lies before us. There was a slight obituary ring about these letters and a depth of condolence which struck me as kindly but depressing. The letters of the September 12th vintage were already puzzled and critical. In them there echoed for the first time three questions with which we are becoming increasingly familiar. " What is England doing? " " Is this a real war or a sham war? " " Is Mr. Chamberlain going to surrender after all? "
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