THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 24, 1940
CHINA MAI P.P.S.. New Men Behind. The
HOUSE
THE ROOSEVELT SPEECH
Patrolling my beat down at Westminster I frequently bump into some Minister bearing all thef signs of one who has been :gric- vously stricken.
At once I know what has hap pened to him. He has lost touch with his Parliamentary Private Secretary.
can
New Cabinet Ministers
By MAURICE WEBB
And
was
in order to enter the Admiralty,
as political right-hand man to A. - V. Alexander.
This is a happy and combination-a sea-going
original P.P.S.
with a civilian Chief. Each has a big regard and respect for the other.
The nomination of Mr. Roosevelt for the presidency and his accept ance of it, is an event which in-
is full of that kind of mature wis-, many years Creech Jones was one
"The Commander," or "Reggie" dom which not only suffers fools of the biggest, of the younger_fig- evitably follows from the present
No, worse embarrassment
as his associates call him, was a state of world affairs. We are overtake a member of His Maj-gladly but never despairs of lick-ures in the trade union world.
ing them into some sort of useful situation
He in the presence of a
headed with outstanding naval cadet in 1899. As tutor in a esty's Government,
skill one of the sections of Mr of Kent into the profession.
naval college he initiated the Duke which holds within it, the future
With his PP.S. at his elbow a |shape. of the human race.
His biggest joy is his ancient Bevin's own union. Either we Minister can face any situation.
I have myself served as a sort emerge as a free people, with But let him lose him for a time Pipe. For more years than I can President of an important inter-
of temporary A. B. under his group
commercial) of liberty to express our thoughts, and he is as helpless as Samson remember he has been buying his national
command. At Geneva tögether form our associations, practice shorn.
favourite brand of tobacco by the workers.
some years ago "The Command- pound from the Co-op. He says our religion and govern ourselves Ministers will tell you
first He is among the
half-er" said he would take me for a by those political ideals which good P.P.S. has a price beyond ne is miserable if he cannot get dozen real experts in the country row. have been won after centuries of rubies. The ace occupants of this it.
on colonial affairs. The work he I took the oars. He sat in the effort and sacrifice and stubborn-post are guarded by their masters
That I cannot believe, for I am has done, away from the limelight, stern and controlled the operation. never for native populations is acknow- His control was so brilliant that
that a
on
*
*
*
was
I defended when challenged, or with the concern of a gardener for certain John Jogger else, we go down before the tre- his record-breaking marrow. miserable in his life. He wore ledged by those who are aware of only after two hours' pulling and mendous force which Naziism and For they stand between their his engaging twinkling smile even it to be deserving of unqualified sweating did I dare to suggest Fascism have organised for the chiefs and whole armies of badg-when he told me the other day praise.
we might change roles for a bit. purpose of enslaving the human crers and worriers.
that he would like to box my But he is not, by nature, a lime-But by then it was time, he said, spirit. There is no alternative,
ears" because of something I had light man. NEW LABOUR RECRUITS
He has a mind of for us to go home. *** President Roosevelt put the mat-
written which he did not like. A number of Labour M.P.s have
rare worth and integrity, which
THE MINEṚS' PART ter quite clearly, and expressed just joined the ranks of
Well, if my ears must be box seeks this cd, there is no man I would rather than rewards.
avenues of service rather Two miners 'have joined this i with that depth of sincerity and noble army of martyrs. I applaud have do it.
valuable band of public servants. all the conviction of which he was their public spirit.
His successful piloting of the Tom Smith, who was leading capable
Let me put the spotlight
Access to Mountains In listening to him one realised some of them for you.
Act is but pit boys in strikes when in his One day Arthur Creech Jones the first of the many big jobs he teens, teams up with D. R. Gren- that every one of his solemn words In 1926 indignation surged will sit on the Front Bench.. To-Will perform in the political car-fell at the Mines Ministry. was weighted with the serious im-through the mining valleys of day as P.P.S. to Ernest Bevin heeer he has how chosen.
This is his third spell there. The port of the world situation. He Monmouthshire when it was is waiting to sit on the row behind HAPPY COMBINATION officials are glad to see him back. realised far better, and with full-learned that one, who - as it when his chief takes his sent When the war started, Comman-They like his pungent North er knowledge and clearer vision County Alderman, miners' leader in the Commons.
der R. Fletcher put on his naval Country comments on the chang-' of the future than his audience and prominent chapel official --- Some people wonder why the uniform and went back to the ing daily scene. the meaning of this present strug was revered in every valley new Minister of Labour picked quarter deck, or wherever it is! Now he is doing a big job of gle. There was a gravity in his home, had been sent to prison for out a man who, as they say, does that naval Commanders go. work for nothing. And although tone, which arose from the in-"participating in a riotous as-n't look like one of the trades Now, oddly enough, he has it is not in the pit it will be of tense feeling of the physical, moral
taken his uniform off, and put on great value to all the men who and spiritual danger
this Nazi Forty thousand people signed a
for his well-tailored civilian clothes, are in pits. threat engendered. He was not petition for his release. His vacant speaking as a democrat, he was chair in the County Council cham- not even speaking on behalf of ber was decorated with flowers America, he was expressing the and carried a card which said thought of civilised man. He put "Return soon."
sembly."
aside all the pelty personal or That man was Arthur Jenkins. national considerations and dealt To-day he is M.P. for Pontypool. with human and spiritual values. And P.P.S., friend and confidant. The only criticism that has of a member of the War Cabinet., been directed, against the Roose- Mr. C. R. Attlee, To know this: velt administration is that it has gracious, gentle-mannered man not informed the nation about with remarkabla deep-set bluc foreign affairs by providing it eyes is to wonder how anyone with the material which it had at could associate him with a "riot- 'its disposal. Even as late as last ous, assembly."
year just before the war broke: He will flinch from nothing out, the late Senator Borah stat-when the things he values are ed publicly that he was not stake, but above all else, he cher- aware of anything in Europe, that ishes the things which make for suggested war was imminent. If decency and order in public life. this was the state of knowledge During all the recent critical of a senator how much deeper years he has been at Mr. Attlee's must the ignorance of the general side. Now, in his wider respon- public have been.
sibilities, he will give his Leader support of immeasurable value.
The danger in the United States Is that while action is the keynoté in national affairs and while there is a business-like attitude even in
* 1
at
domestic affairs, in the large issue John Wilmot has taken up of foreign affairs the citizen takes duty as his friend Hugh Dalton's refuge in vague sentiments. lieutenant at the Economic War-
It is true that a certain small fare Ministry. section of the community-those Here is a man of whom it cani in the universities, those in the be said that his political future is administration and those in the certain. As a Labour candidate various institutes such as that he has two historic by-election dealing with Pacific Relations, or victories to his credit. As an specifically with Foreign affairs-M.P. his impressive mental equip- is particularly well-informed butment has, brought him right to the knowledge is confined to this the front.
group and remains academic. That Outside politics he goes in for is the great weakness of Ameri-sailing, golf-and fire-fighting as can politics and it is that which Chairman of the L.C.C. fire brig- produces isolationism, or perhaps ade.
•
directions.
in-er.
>
unionists.
They do not know
that
Tanks and crews awaiting orders to move off to the desert present a picture of the power of thte British Forces In Egypt. (Copyright, Fox).
A Contrast In Speeches
Those who listened to
to me.
came
By "Civis"
:
a
But what was the essential dif-
it is this geographical isolation of I have never been fire-fighting America which produces this in- with him, but I have first-hand broadcasts on Friday night last that in order
to the shock. It was hard believe trated venom, and violence to the to celebrate out-wholesome, vigorous and yet pas- difference or ignorance of world experience of his unorthodox
Ger- sionate words of President Roose- from Berlin and then from Lon-standing victories that the issues,
efforts to steer a smack into port don must have realised the strik-man propagandist
should have velt was in itself a refreshing ex- I cannot It must not be forgotten that and a ball into a hole. America is largely peopled by say that he will go far in these contrast between the speech undermined his case by the very perience. One really wanted
of Goebbels which
to over tone of his voice. There was not spiritual bath after listening those who wanted to put the At-fascination for him
Sand has too much shortly after eleven o'clock and a single note of joy or happiness, the foul discourse of Dr. Goeb- lantic between themselves and the and bunkers.
sandbanks that of President Roosevelt which no sense of relief, no sign of bels. social, economic and political sys-
rolled The President's words tems of Europe. They have ever used up all his own balls, and all
When I played him ones, he was recorded later. It is not the magnanimity of course, nor even
substance of the addresses to a trace of confidence."
forth in a resonant tone, with the since tried to maintain, that dismine except one, long before we
which I am referring but to the This hysterical effort was real-voice modulated to suit the ex- tunce. They are there because finished the round. My idea was the speeches were delivered I now manner, tone and key in which
pression, the human note was they were in revolt against the to give it up, but John is a stick-believe that there
never absent. There was denun-- European tradition. Modern
is something
ciation and righteous indignation, vention however has drawn thom!
said
there was a call to defend civilisa- willy nilly into that orbit againing in turn at the battered rem she said, "never mind the mean Goebbels kept it up so long. We finished off the game hack-in what my daughter once
"Listen to this poem," ly a notable achievement,
since tion but there was no screech and and the people cannot escape their nant of the ball which remained ing of the words, just listen to maintained the note of contempt,
He no threatenings. destiny. Ideas to-day cannot be to us. restricted to one country, they Herbert Morrison is fortunate.the rhythm of the language and hate, and bitterness with such ference in these two speeches? If travel very quickly. Radio, tele John Jagger, the wise and saga- the tone, form, pitch and quality depth of feeling that he must have anything Goebbels was the more phone and acroplane have multi-cious head of the National Union of the words, and you will ap- been utterly exhausted when he fluent, that is to say his words plied contacts and increased the of Distributive and Allied Work-preciate it. The modern pocts Anished. No actor simulating the came out in a torrent, but they dangers. Only by deliberately ers, is at his elbow in the Minis- get their effect by the music of part could have reached this level, did not flow gracefully and easily -imitating--the-ostrich-can-the
the sound-and don't bother about It was Germany that was speaking as President Roosevelt's did. knowledge and meaning of what try of Supply. je happening pass them by, but the Commons. Nor a kindlier.
There is no shrewder man in conveying a meaning or a story.
who live There was no pause, the language similar way one got the "pparently for those as that method leaves vital parts
and deliberately in both cases fitted the theme, the among terror, of meaning
Goebbels still exposed, it affords no guar me need lots
Impetuous young bustlers like
address cultivate the harsh brutal ways one could only find its best ex- antee of security. These facts are about to keep us on the rails. He of John Jaggers
though it was in a foreign lan- of the barbarian must co-operate pression in German and the other to bring out the best or perhaps in English for one was appealing now being hammered in by Pre- sident Roosevelt. The democratic{
I have heard Hitler speak twice, its worst expression in their lea- to the baser instincts in man, his fear, his hate and his sadism, system does not and cannot exist!
once over the radio and once over der.
was while the other To a foreigner the only possible with the higher ideals, the spir- concerned in isolated units in the world. The was undertaken by the Empire a loud speaker and thought that communities draw strength from as a war of conquest, or for the he had reached the height or the interpretation that could be put ituni values which give man his each other, when their system preservation of the privileges of depth of frenzy and hysteria in upon this rhetorical display was maintained, and engender doubt a caste. The composition of the the very tone of his utterance, that the speaker so far from be- dignity and his significance. about their value when any of British government and the amaz-but Goebbels was equal to him. ing pleased about past victories No neutral listener could doubt~- them collapses or when over- ing solidarity of the Empire in The raucous tone of the German was considerably worried about for a moment on which side he whelmed by the totalitarian for-prosecuting the war gives the lie language can be thoroughly un- the future problems. He was would prefer to enlist. Never has
to any such accusation.
pleasant at any time, but when breathing out threatenings and a minister of propaganda so com- The full brunt of the attack is President Roosevelt has no it is combined with fanaticism slaughter because he was afraid. pletely undermined his cause. The being borne by the British Em-illusions about that nor about and the spenker keeps in the There was in this performance effect of his speech-must-have: pire at the moment. It is a what ought to be done and he did high key because of the Intensity something akin to the war dance been devastating especially to privilege to defend these princi-not hesitate to say so. His speech of his feeling and because he of the primitive native who works those who remained at their re- -ples as it is also a tremendous from that point of view contained wishes to give vituperation its up to a climax of uncontrollable ceiving sets during the next hour To and were able to get the con- Fékponsibility. No foreign critic all that the people in Britain de-fullest effect, then the nervous passion and lust for blood. could possibly say that this war'sired, or nearly all.
Isystem suffers something of a pass from this realm of concen-trast:
ces.
In a
guage.