THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1953.
Why Blame Bevan For
Being
THY do men
enter
W politics? Sense of
duty, love of power, vaulting ambition, honour and glory?
No easy
answer can be given, nor has the answer been the same at all times in our history.
In the. Tudor and Stuart period polites was the gateway not only to power and honour but also to wealth.
The Cecils, the Russells, the Cavendishes, owed their stately homes and broad ners to the enormous perquisites of office in the 16th and 17th centuries,
Ambitious?
His bid for the deputy leadership of the Parlia montary Socialist Party has failed. Result of the contest just announced shows Mr Harbert Mor rison the winner by 181 votos to 76. But an MP · should not bo criticised because he tries to got to the top...
By
way to be deplore:
On the
comery, eve his defeated rivals considerat such ambition **
audzbl: in itself.
It is very doubtful whether Mr Mr Morrean, and the Alles. B:cat malerity of orthodox S- 'cialists view Mr Bevant conduct
in the same light.
The change is to be regreited. It.
one thing to censure political intrigue, quite another regard caitical moltion legitimately purrued as reprchen-
sible.
One cun deplore M; Bevra's politie opinions without co- demning hin for the mere fart of being ambitiour.
Ahreedy the conditions of an
ROBERT BLAKE MP fe cre such as to drive
The rame motive continued to be powerful in the 18th century. Henry
Fox, the nint Lord Holland, became a millionaire worthy, in a cerce
Seven
sire.
away far too many excellent pop- sons. If, on top of the expense. which has the long hours, the comfo
the abuse, MPs are to be told that politieal ambition is - herently discreditable, the p21- en 1e of this country will be- ecene the poorer,
on the proceeds of his post as perhaps changed in the last 20
or 30 years. In Paymaster-General-
Years War. By
Lord Melbourne was Wher the
The Premiership I standards of the day, such an offered achlevement who perfectly 1834 he told his secretary that it
It will be a sad day if ever the legitimate and excited no cer- was a damned bore," and he
was half Inclined to refuse. ambition to scale the highest
"Why.
cried ie pock yields to a terpid desire 10 Yet
at about this time 1
secretary, "such a position was enjoy the climate of the fra!- change was in the air.
The younger Pitt was Prime never recupied by any Greek or hills.
it only busts two Minister for 20 years, and diert Roman, and
to cumbered with debts, which months it worth while
Mioux of have been Prime England," Melbourne accepted. "I have climbed to the top of pute at Just."
wrote Distell
a grateful nation paid,
By the beginning of the 19th
ti say century It le afe 10 Anancial gain had ceased to be the
a major motive fur a politicni umpl cunt. Fifty years later had
when in 1808 after
lifetime of
ecosed to be a motive altogether, extrazdory vizlitudes he be
For more than a century this has retained true. The reult y-tom Petr:1 has uniquely fice from the faint of corruption or jobbery system
outside
with no
it
real rallel
these islanda.
I'
Not poor
the Frine Mater. One an not darbey nague M: Altler writing or even Abink
inter dens in 1945.
Today
there has been som(*- uf thing
change ot R evers in the cutward antion of such aims and ambitions.
a!!
It may of course de hypocrisy was no doubt made possible which causes most politicians to
deny any suggestion
at least in part because the
that they
class from which our political seek the highest peat end to ne- lenders weve drawn enjoyed cept office with it unconvincing | substantial inherited wealth,"
display of geelernanty FC-
But if it be fur that luctance. The average 14th century Prime Minister wis not poor, hypocrisy the hemze paid by then presumably Palmerston, vice to virtue
Cor- all had this change of behaviour
rent change of of responds to scine more than £10,000 a your attitude.
Grey Melbourne, Gladstone, Salisbury
their
own.
Pet, i Derby, and Rosebery had Incomes round about the £100,-
U00 mork.
So
doc-
"Missus-am I glad to bo back home out of that Lunnun' smog."
London Express Bervice
Sir Winston Churchill's Sixth and Last Book of World War II Memoirs
T
THE ALLIED CAPTURE
OF CAEN
They were
the werdi. Nebcdy knew
them.
D
of
In Chapter II of his new work, “Triumph And Tragedy," our great wartime Prime Minister describes the fierce struggle for possession of the pivotal town, and the important events following its liberation.
in tomorrow it HE
On the way It was now our turn to rtrike,
any As I said in Par which whole plan turned. Mont- this account, hocage
first night when possible, to liament, the people at home and on July a strong attack on
and will delay zero visited the wardroom the officers covers much of Nor- gomery's Intention was
launched from the hour up to 3 p.m. it necessary, were singing songs. At the end mandy consists of a make a great left wheel by could feel they were sharing the Chen was
The British Army north end north-west. The first perils of their soldiera.
attacked they sang the chorus of "Rule, multitude of small the American forces, with
eerpa, with the aim Britannia," I asked then what On June 17, at Margival, near of the tactical bombardments by with three |fields divided by banks, with Caen 18 their left-hand Soissons, Hitler held a conterence
heavy bomberaz, which of enlarging
So I
some a marked and carrying them well high pivot.
with Rundstedt He was surprised ditches
reelled and very
eld Rommel, henecforward were
the prepared
way. the river Orne. The
Thomson's noble lines myself, AT least one politietan even 10-hedges, Artillery support It was equally important for is two generals pressed on him feature,
નાસ્તો was preceded by an even greater and for the beneat and the If their Moreover the trid- A day has never concealed his for an attack is thus hinder the Germans.
lines strongly the folly of bleeding the Royal Air Force heavy bombers
dropped more
ore than 2,000 tons on bombardment by the Allied air, instruction of the reader (if he the whole Germany Army to death tion, na
often in politics mbition to each th: Premier-ed by lack of good observa- were pierced there,
They
that, the German defences, and at The German Air Force was reeds any) I reprint them here: (contrary to the Marxist
doubtful whether
of their Seventh Army would be Normandy, tion and it was extremely forced south-eastwards towar:s belon
befone Was
the dawn British Infantry, the economie ship and is
hampered totally trine), cutlasted
ed from interier- The nations not so blest as thee Ah fact has done him any
Seventh Army should make an unavoidably by the bomberaters difficult to use tanks. It was the Loire, opening a gap be- Se
progress was inade Must in their turn to tyrants conditions that created it,
good.
and the rubble of fallen to the cast of Caca, unili clouded
fall; the tween it and the Fifteenth Army orderly withdrawal to the Seine buildings, made good progress. akles began to hamper our planes Whtie thou shalt · flourish-gread Although politicians are
It is interesting compare Mr infantry fighting ali no
together with the necesarily, от esen Aneurin Bevan's hid for the way, with every little field a in the north. The way to Paris where,
of Caen on cur and led to a werk's delay in
and free, men mally
of independent deputy Icadership of the Socialist
the break-out from strong-point. would then be open. Thus in Fifteenth Army. It could fight a By July 19 alt
The dread and envý ôf them be- defensive but mobile battle with side of the river was gained and launching the fellowing werks Caen means, financial scandal ke the party with events which took potential
1 could say to Montgomery, the American sector.
all, Marconi affair от
age in the Con- Nevertheless good progress came the scene of ceaseless al at least some hope of success. the events place 42 years
But Hiller would
"Many congratulations on your
thought
wis an The Muses still, with freedom Was made, except for pro- lacks and the most stubborn de-
opportunity to visit Cherbourg as in Russia and Italy, he capture of Caen." Hero
found, It a towards Then Bonar Law, with pres-tracted 'failure to capture fence, drawing been happily rare aberra ervative Party.
and
Shait to spend a few days in the should
to thy happy coasts ak
demanded the no ground great part
German the of success quite is remote
Cuen.
"Mulberry" harbour. On July
repair; divialons, and ns those of Mr Beven had his
especially their be given up and all should fight This
American Blest iste, with matchless beauty small but famous
The generals as where they stood, pelled politicians was ambition. nurme put forward for the leader-
This was armour.
n help hindrance. P Mixed with it has been patriot ship of the Party in succession to town was to be the scene of well ism and devotion to duty, ele Arthur Balfour.
The By a strange bitter struggles over many
Germans, though ments which will always, one and unpredictable series of days. To
divisions of im- reserve Us it was hopes, be
conspicuous. in the cents he was elected leader--
Fifteenth Army were stil world of politics. But armbi- to his own surprise, even alarmportant, because, apart from intact north of the Seine, had tion, the desire to reach the Bona: Law never concealed his the fact that there was good of course been reinforced from highest post, to secure what the inteuse runbition to rise to the ground to the east for con- elsewhere by
Junc 12 late Lord Birkenhead described top. Yet-and here. dies the as "the glittering prizes was significance of the contrast-structing airstrips, it was twelve divisiens were in action, TN the battle
Panzera. This four of them -and-one regarded that fact-as-in-eny the hinge on which our less-than- we had expected. The making headway."
tremendous air offe
offensive had humpered all the enemy's com munications, Every bridge Leross the Seine below Paris and the principal bridges cross the river Loire were by destroyed.
that led to the Lynskey Inquiry have
Venn.
The motive which
-regarded
now im-
laudable
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EMERS
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and
not agree.
this
were of course right. Hier's SMUTS, who had now returned I flew direct in an
to South Africa, sent a pre- Army Dakota to their landing- the method of fighting to the death selent and suggestive telegram.
ground their on all fronts at once lecked the
held important element of selection..
was
now
MOST of the reinforcing troops
Mo
ships
coast
10 July, 44.
peninsula,
cn the and
Cherbou
WCS
aken
In view of the spectacular round the harbour by the United States commander. Here I saw Russion advance, and of the for the first time a flying bomb
capture of Caen, which forms anch
launching-point. It was a very elaborate sfidir.
the pendant,
face
welcome
now developing. fronts.They-will-soon-have-to- decide whether to throw their town. main weight against the clack
crowned,
And manly hearts to guard
ON
I
the fair.
WAS
my last day at Arromanches visited Montgomery's Germans cannot, as things are C I wrs abecked at the damage headquarters, a few miles. Inland.
The Commander-in-Chief both the Germans had done to the
and shared the staff in the best af spirits on the eve.
of his largest operation which disappointment at the ineviter he explained to me in all detall. from the east or that from the delay in getting the pet to work. to took me into the ruins of west. Knowing what to thickly sown with contact mines. Caen and across the river, and
Pest
as to cz- invasion,
The basing of the harbour were
of
arca along the our consolidation wes "Bombarding of all types. including battle-ships, ecnilnued to sup- part the armies on shore, particularly in the eastern sector, where the enemy
pect from a Russian concentrated
handful
devoted British We also visited other parts of the British front. Then he placed the bulk of his
it is likely that they will A armour and
day and where his batteries were most
decide for conuentraiing on divers were, et werk.
these Et
my disposal his captured troublesome. U-boats and light
the Russian front. This will night disconnecting
their
Warm Storch aeroplane, and the Air mortal peril. vessels tried to attack,
to ease our task in the
Commander himself paid to them by
piloted mo tributes were
ak
over the British positions. with little success. but'
their American comrades. Author's italics.
This aircraft could land at л were mostly had to use the roads and rail- son mines, which
Stalin who followed
pinch ways running through the gap laid by aircraft, took a serious
consequently one between Paris and Orleans, and tell of Allied shipping and de- fortunes with tally
also sent his "congratulations en FTER a long and dangerous few Hundred feet from were subjected to continuous layed our bulld-up.
a far better and damaging attacks by day Across the beaches progress the occasion of the splendid new drive to the United States ground, gaining
15 Utah view and knowledge of the and night from our air forces. was good. In the first six days victory of the British forces in beach-head known
method. A German report of July 8 said. 326,000 men, 54,000 vehicles, and the liberation of the town of Bench I went aboard a Britich seene than by any other
From Paris to the west 1
and
104,000
of stores were
instor torpedo-boat, and thence I also visited several of the air In spite
middle of July. 30 had .a By the south-west all rail communten landed.
rough
to Pansage of serious
stations, and said a few words and Lions
divisions were shore. Arromanches. As one gets older to gatherings of offleura are broken."
louses among landing-cratt on Allied Not
the enemy immense supply only were
organisation was Half
were American and half seasickness retreats. I did not men. Finally I went to tho uncble to reinforce quickly, but rapidly taking shape. An
British and Canadian, Again succumb, but slept soundly till held hospital, where, though it n quiet day, 4 trickle of
tonis
-
נים
attention,
Almost a
pir divisions arrived piecemeal, average of more than 200 vessels these the Germans had gathered in the calm waters et lies was coming in.
short of equipment, and fatigued and craft of all types was 27 divisions. by long night marches, and they arriving dally with supplies,
into the Ene as were thrown they come. The German com-
*
mand had no chance to form a DY June 19 the two "Mulberry" no,
our
weetle lagoen.
By
and
the
was
But they had already suffered 160,000 casual I went aboard the cruiter
poor 1 man was to have a ties, and General Els
Eisenhower Enterprise, where -remained serious
and operation, estimated their fighting value as for three days, making myself actually on the table about to no higher than 10
10 divisions.
thoroughly acquainted with the take the anaesthetic. I WAS now whole working of the harbour, slipping away when he said he now wanted me. He smiled wanly And and kissed my hand. I was
nights learn later on that the operation aircraft,
slking force behind the buttie Dharbours, one at Arromanches, occurred. On July 17 Rommel on which all the
An Important ovent well-concerted the other 10 miles farther west, was severely wounded. His cur almost entirely depended, my deeply moved, and very glad to for a powertul Cuter-cifensive.
In the American secter, were was attacked by our low-flying at the same time By Jure
11 the Allies had making good progress.
"Pluto," Was formed continuous front the submarine pipe-line, Inland, and
cur fighters were also well advanced. But then a
Was hospital in what was thought a were very noisy, there being had been entirely successful. operating from half a dozen four-day
epics
fighters, and he was carried to London
business,
The
on the western
which
towards Barneville, broke from their moorings and general who had won distinction
they
crashed into other breakwaters reached on June 17. Simul- and the anchored shipping. Laneously they advanced north-
The harbour in the American wards, and after sharp Rghting rector was
ruined, and sloed before the outer defences of Cherbourg on the 22nd.
its
He made a W gale began which dying condition.
repeated ralds by forward airstrips. The next task almest entirely
prevented the wonderful recovery, in time to
meet his death later on at and more numerous, alarms. wus to secure a lodgment area landing of big enouga 10 hold
men and material, Hitler's Orders. In early July day I studied the whole process sufficient and did great damage to the forces for the decisive break-
Inne also Rundstedt was replaced in of the landing of supplies and any the over-all newly sunk breakwaters. Many
command of the roops, both at the oul. The Americans thrust Boating bombardons which were
been interested, and on the beaches,
eix tank On one occasion landing craft came to the beach In linc. When their prowe
ed their drawbridges
and out came
singe
By
in Russia.
fell
The
westward across the Cherbourg mot designed for such conditions Western Front by von Kluge, a Which I had so lone in dark. To Capt. Hickling, the
peninsula
out demolitions. These were so thorough that heavy loads could not be brought in through the port till the end of August.
repair Arronnclies. This gule,
We were
[ONTGOMERY'S, general
41.9
of
and
serviceable parts were used to MONUM, & DeJay three or four from the banks thon enemy resisted stouliy
eight minutes by my stop-walch til the 20th in order to carry the like of which had not been 18, now approached. "Cod with splashed ashore. In less Itown in June for 40 years, was you," I said. He replied:
nevere misfortune.
Thank you for your message, the tanks stood in column already behind our programma
for big route on the high-road ready to General conditions attack break-out of unloading. Tho
tomorrow now very move into action. This was an favourable
main
performance, chemy Impressive weight has moved to west of which had now been achieved. Orne, 23% was intended, to oppose my attacks in Evrecy
was fascinated to she the area, and these attacks will be continued today and donight D.U.K.W.■:'[amphibious For complete success to vehicles] swimming, through the morrow good flying - woother harbour, waddling" ushore," and csportinl.
*
was equally delayed, and on June 23 we stood only on the we had prescribed for the
BEYOND the battlefeld other 11th
events influenced the future. In the last week of
June
the
OCTORS
On the night of June 12-13 the Brillah established A bridgehead first flying bonus fell on London, across the tiver Odon south of They were launched in Northern Caen, Efforts to
extend it. France from places remolo from
•from southward and castward jour;
landed armies. Their early the river Orne were repelled. conquest would bring relief to The southern sector of the elvil population, once again British front was twice attacked under bombardment Part of by several Panzer divisions, In the Strategic Air Force' renewed violent conflicts the Germans defeated, with "attacks on these alles, but there were severely
could of course, be no question heavy idases from our air and of distorting the land botile, on powerful artillery,
flew back home that evening,
July 23, and arrived, before.
naval officer in charge of: Arro- nunches, I paid the tributo thot was due.
4 25 July, 445 1 send you and all under your cominand my warmest congratulations of the aplen did work that lins. been done it Arromanches. This mira- culous port has played,
and will continue to play, a most Important part in the llberg- tion of Europe. I hope to pay. you another vial before long.
The above messago - should be promulgated to all con- cerned, in such a way, that it does not, became known to the as, yet enemy, who Ignorant of the capacity and
✓
.loose the armoured; divisions treat dump where the forrles:wero15% WONIZIN SE But thin
Am determined to then hurrying up the hill to the PaRTLARIGA
waiting to take their supplies bour
various
call the bar-
Upon for, various reasons: X.
There attacks, were the result of to the
instructions Jan concions de he wonderful, eficiency of the Continued fordele Keitel telephoned Rundsteds and system, now yielding results far (World & opyrights, threevad. asked, "What shall do?" greater, than we had ever Reproduction) -- even partially, in zan Rundstedt in ainusõbrad, take planted, depended the hope of a' any sy language, strictly
prace you idiots. What else can you do!"
speedy and victorious action.” ~'hip