Men of Destiny
THE ministerial reshuffle provides further I proof, if proof were needed, of the Prime Minister's vision in the matter of appointments. He is clearly wise to insist that he should have men around him whom he knows, and fortuna- tely there are so many of his and his wife's rela- tions and friends available that it is often unnecessary to take the risk of promoting men who may have more political experience and ability, but about whom Mr. Macmillan himself, busy as he has been with contemplating Sum- mits, cannot be expected to have the same inti- mate knowledge.
In the case of his son-in-law, at least, there can have been no doubt in his mind of the wisdom of the appointment. Critics may com- plain that Julian Amery took an unconscionably long time to reach a final agreement in Cyprus, and that the agreement which was eventually reached might have been made without difficulty when the negotiations first began. But surely the point is that those weeks gave Mr. Amery an unrivalled opportunity to learn his trade; he will find the aircraft manufacturers relatively easy to deal with, after his experience with the wily Archbishop.
The Duke of Devonshire, admittedly, cannot claim to haye political experience. But it is always useful to have such men in a Ministry, which otherwise is apt to get overloaded With politicians, and to lose the common touch. 011.f only complaint is that, while he was about11' the Prime Minister did not take the opportunity to elevate the Hon. Hugh Fraser as Well as George Ward to the House of Lords, in recbgill' tion of the really magnificent work he has been doing in the Ministry he is in (we forget. for Ilide moment, which it is). Such an elevation use i derisively to be called being kicked upstairs: bu the Earl of Home has shown that this jest 1135 run its course. Indeed, the day may v.c11 bed coming when the ermine curtain that preveale Lord Curzon from being Prime Minister will be removed. It would be grossly unfair, should 51 Macmillan have second thoughts about viscountcy for Mr. Fraser, that Mr. Fraser , should thereby be denied the clear path of 5.1.1 ,cession—rightfully his, if present pronul ways continue--to the highest office in the 1311'
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