Damn dots The Atticus gossip column in the SundaY Times
announced, this week that their top man Allan Hall is ill and that Tom Davies is on holiday. Probably this is why theY printed: Lord Campbell of Eskan, chairman of the New Statesman who likes "hitting balls," apparently dropped one duringa 'recent conference at the Statesman's office in Great Turnstile, London. Editorial executives were discussing the raison d'Ptre of their weeklY when his lordship interposed the thought that, if things went on as they were, it might even be necessary to raise the Statesman's price to 2s 6d. There followed a strained silence, broken only by a voice saying "But it alreadY costs 3s."
The full flavour of this tiny jest has been missed. Lord Campbell, like that other upper topper socialist Lord Longford, lives in a happy cloud-filled world free from care. Apparently the meeting went like this. One of the New Statesman's executives — probably the redoubtable efficiency mad Mr de Quetteville
announced that the paper was now priced at 15p. Lord Campbell is reported to have said, "Good Heavens, if we go on like this before long it'll be costing half a crown."
Previous page
