Portrait of the Week
THE most spectacular news of the week has been Presi- dent Eisenhower's coronary thrombosis, and, if anyone has any doubts about its potentially shattering effect on the fortunes of the Republican Party, he has only to look at the reactions of the Wall Street brokers—always a nervous body of men. However, in spite of dark speculations as to whether or not the Vice-President, Mr. Nixon, and his dog would have to take over for the time being, the President is reported to be in no danger and has been allowed out of his oxygen tent by his doctors. As to whether he will be able to run for the Presidency again a discreet silence has so far been observed by most of those concerned.
Europe and the world generally, of course, are more inter- ested in whether international affairs will be left to the mercy of Mr. Dulles after the President's illness. The part he has played in the reigning detente with the Russians has been under- lined this week by Marshal Bulganin's message to him on the question of disarmament. In this the Soviet Prime Minister stated that the position of the powers was `so close to each other's that we should be able to reach a definite agreement,' but went on to point out that the exchange of defence blue- prints suggested by President Eisenhower would be of little use without an actual reduction in armaments and restriction of the use of atomic weapons. The message. which merely reaffirms previous Soviet attitudes on disarmament, shows the intentions of the Russian Government in a gratifyingly pacific light, but the effect has been somewhat diminished by the announcement that the USSR is to sell arms to Egypt, thereby troubling waters already sufficiently disturbed without this dubious piece of poaching. The Russian offer and the Egyptian acceptance appear to have been precipitated by the French refusal to deliver arms to Egypt following on attacks in the press and by Cairo radio on France's policy in the Maghreb.
The reaction of the Western Powers has been twofold : first the USA offered to supply arms to Egypt herself and, secondly, the Foreign Ministers of America and Great Britain, at present meeting in New York to decide on a united policy for the four-power meeting on Germany. announced that they had reached agreement on the question of arms for the Middle East. Their policy is said to be based on the desire to allow countries to defend themselves, while at the same time avoid- ing a possible arms race in that area.
* * * The Foreign Ministers of the Western Powers have been chiefly concerned with the German question, and, to judge from Dr. Adenauer's statement that any recognition of the East German regime would be considered as an unfriendly action by the Federal Republic, there is to be no weakening on the subject of reunification. The Bundestag has voted its approval of his actions in Moscow with a unanimity that has led some commentators to talk about a bipartisan foreign policy for Western Germany..
Elsewhere in the world M. Faure is dreeing his weird in North Africa, where the dilatory proCedure of the French Cabinet looks like producing another outburst of violence in Morocco (a bomb thrown into a cafe, wounded seventeen Europeans earlier in the week). In Algeria Moslem delegates to the Algerian Assembly and councillors of the French Union have refused to discuss the reforms contained in the Soustelle plan. The troubles of the French Government have also been increased by a twenty-four-hour railway strike. In Cyprus the appointment has been announced of Field-Marshal Sir John Harding, the retiring CIGS, as Governor, and Archbishop Makarios has called for passive resistance to British rule. In South Africa there have been police raids on trade union head- quarters, and the premises of various organisations listed under the Suppression of Communism Act ranging from the South African Indian Congress to the Priory of the Community of the Resurrection, where Father Trevor Huddleston entertained four Special Branch officers to tea. British and Russian war- ships are to exchange courtesy visits, while there is also talk of a direct London-to-Moscow air route. A £.64 million cut in Australian imports seems to augur ill for British exports.
At home it is a moot point whether there is more talk of the missing diplomats, with its fascinating implications of physical wickedness in high places, or of the acquittal of Jack Spot and Albert Dimes on charges of wounding. Altogether it has been quite a week for scandal, but, alas, there is little hope that this will continue and it is likely that the newspapers will shortly be thrown back on the meagre resources of the economic situa- tion and the comparison of commercial TV with the BBC variety. This week we have been informed by the Bulletin for Industry that incomes are outstripping production at an alarm- ing rate, and this news has hardly been offset by the information conveyed by the Central Electricity Authority that they are doing all right and, in fact, made a profit of some £8 million last year. Lord Citrine speaking at a press conference gave some details of future development, including the building of oil-burning stations due to 'indications that the National Coal Board would not be able to meet all demands.' All of which has not stopped the NUM from announcing a four-point plan to better the condition of their members that would, presum- ably, involve still higher prices for coal. Meanwhile, the NUR have decided to vote for Mr. Gaitskell as Labour Party Treasurer (last year they voted for Mr Bevan) and Mr. Duncan Sandys has hinted that something may be done about housing subsidies.
Odd news items are headed by the devastation of Barbados and other islands in the British West Indies by the tail-end of Hurricane Hilda, whose successor Hurricane Janet is reported to be building up her strength in the Caribbean area. A tenth national park has been designated in the Brecon Beacons. Lord Nuffield is to help finance a new building for the Rioyal College of Obstetricians, and the death has been announced of Samuel H. Kress, donator of the famous Kress collection to the Washington National Gallery. Commercial TV has added a new hazard to life and, fittingly enough. the same week has seen the discovery at Pylos of the palace of antiquity's prize bore, Nestor. Polymaths and Irish patriots will be glad to learn that boycotter has been officially acknowledged to be a word by the appropriate committee of the French Academy.
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