1958-03-15 — Page 8

Pago 8

LONDON DRAMAS

The night the Tories

turned on Chamberlain

Into the Opposition_lobby_they went- Amery, Hore-Belisha, Duff Cooper, Hogg,

Macmillon

a young officer

and

"with tears streaming down his face."

FAMILIAR London night sound, grave and lovely.

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1958.

Poor Benjamin!

☛NCLE Edward demonstrated the little rubber dingy's canvas sea-anchor and had his rod handed to him, whereupon he get stylishly plying his Rob Roy double-paddle.

off,

by Alan Prior

"Now," he announced, from some yards off about on one foot with exito. taliated in the only way he of the fish (B), to hold him

in the water, "One lays down one's paddle and fishes, unencumbered, comfortable and serene."

"It looks fun!" Josie.

ment.

know how.

Can't "Yarroo" bellowed Uncle

"No, no, no, no! risk getting the line fouled! Edward. I'll bring him into shallowy water! Somebody put waders on!"

long enough to hit him.

For a time it seemed that Untele Edward was destined

t Inst Old Ben- in his struggles

"Note that the breeze is quickly finished frenzy of

to hit everything but. In always behind me!" he writhing bodies and red-

"What's the fonttér?" quick succession he wallop- called out. making a cast. streaked water.

shrieked Mra McQuorn, ped his left knee, his right "The set-unchor holds the

"Why don't you stun, him? knee, his nose and his elbow, stern continuously into tho He knew the shapes of

As if he had heard them,

and then appeared to be wind!" Hecast again, boats, he know the ripple of

"He bit me!" Howled back turning his attentions to the beautifully, in his element, water against their sides, Old Benjamin came rushing

Her brother, "And in dinghy, which he hit his rul outlined against a and was proof against all the to the surface like a torpedo a 11% 11 painful place!"

furiously several times, rising moon.

kinds of barbed enticements and jumped, surprisingly for that they might have to & pike, scattering silvor "Poor Eddie!" cried Aunt but

his forty-inch body Mary, her handa clasped in jammin cried offer, but night-fishing he spray.

knew not, nor this curious glistening huge and breath an ecstasy of sympathy became so entangled in the "It's actually possible blunt-shaped object hover taking in the moon's silver across her bosom, "Oh poor, curling loops of line that

poor. Eddie!" exclaimed Mrs McQuorn in ing Zeppelin-like above, and light. surprise. "And he certainly he came up to see what was

"He's a monster" shriek- this new thing in his king- ed Lukie, his voice cracking hasn't sunk himself yet!"

dom. As he rose, drowsily, with middle-Eastern excite driftingly, towards the sur- ment. "My vaders, my face. something brushed vaders!" and he dashed into against his mulled side and in a moment of sleepy irrita She spoke just a little too tion he turned and snapped, the serried lines of broken teeth clashing vengefully over the nuisanice.

Spectator

A been going on, they had had

sound of Big Ben striking 11 o'clock.

For it was exactly 11 p.m. on May Commons divided and-by one of the votes in its history-drove this proud, abruptly from power.

Look back to the astonishing brenes at Westminster that night. Consider the Tories who fung party loyalty aside to pull their leader down.

3 feet

Uncle Edward managed to get a firm grip for a second and caught him a resound- ing "clonk" upon the top of the head, which 'quietened him, whereupon Uncle Ed- ward hit him four more times as hard as he could and Old Benjamin lay down to rest.

FPANIES

dit Ind

ASKEN

If Bedlam had broken the Castle to put them on.

loose before, all Hell broke By the time he had come loose now. It could scarce back Uncle Edward's little ly be credited the amount of dinghy had proved itself, its things that were happening "I have caught a pike," "For, while all this had

light weight almost letting in that dinghy. The paddle announced Uncle Edward the pike tow it around, yet went overboard, Uncle Ed- unnecessarily, panting. an interested spectator, by And then Bedlam broke acting as a sluggish, ex- ward's hat went overboard, the name of Benjamin. He loose, because Old Benjamin hausting brake on the fish; the rod very nearly followed, "Hurrah, hurrah, hurṛah, 8, 1940, when the was usually called Old Ben- the pile was well and truly its smallness allowing a 360 but was retrieved Just at the well done!" cried out the most momentous jamin, because he was a hooked. dominating man pike of extreme age, tough-

sweep of the rod without risk last moment, the line tied crowd on the shore, jumping of the line fouling. Why the itself in graceful loops and about and embracing ono ness and wickedness that His first act was to dive. cast did not snap is just an spirals round everything, another

Uncle Edward had terrorised Loch-nn-ben straight out into the middle other of those miracles that the creel went overboard and retrieved his paddle, hat and for more than a decade. The of the loch, where he went happen sometimes in fishing. at one moment it looked as creel and started weariedly sole surviver of a drastic like a stone to the bottom The watchers on the shore if Uncle Edward was going shorewards, a, Conquering dynamiting that had killed and stayed. Uncle Edward, were dancing and clutching in too.

Hero coming home. off all his brother cannibals, by suddenly developing three at each other with the strain after which the loch had arms, managed to follow him of the moment. been completely re-stocked there, paddling with his with trout, he had gained bailer, handling his rod and such knowledge and cunning reeling in simultaneously, that the exasperated owners until he had recovered about

and the struggle that Uncle for by it he brought down head violently, and began Edward and Old Benjamin His mortat eneiny. The to plough powerfully to had practically given up try half his line and the rod-tip ing to catch him, having pointed plumb downwards,

Then it happened. After were engaged in can be des- shore committee heard a wards them, sending back twenty When the great debate began through the years dangled like a London Gents Lave-

Ike of solid cribed as Homeric. Having sudden, anguished yell from long rippling waves on May 7, his position seemed all colours of twinkling lures tory sign, to where Old Ben- fighting, Old Benjamin, discovered (after desperate the fisherman and windy, either side, looking safe enough. True, the Nor-und kinds of appetising bait jamin sulked.

with at least that much scrabblings) His

expiring sounds some neglected but tough lead- sighing, back-benchers weglan campaign was ending in front

his craft. old Scottish loch-god who of his long,

"Damn!" roared Uncle battle still left in him, took weighted

muhogony coming from a bright future: bouncing In total gastrophe; but he had saturnine nose. Scarred and Edward, "I've got no landing tion of the dinghy, leapt a occupant found that the dif- paddle frenziedly, shouting show his subjects what was a convulsivé run in the direc- ""priest," 'thè dinghy Uncle Edward started to has decided to come up and

were

distinguished

by DOUGLAS CLARK

There ex-Ministers among them:: Loo Amery, Leslie Hore HRIS KATULADENTIAL MELANTANEN FARMAL

Belisha, Alfred Duit Cooper.

young

were

serving

There officers like the one hitherto a fervent admirer of Chamberlain

was his Why, then, ~~whom Duff Cooper Saw sudden? "walking through the Opposition lobby with the tears streaming down his lace."

There were.

with

fall so

32-year-old Quistin Hogg and pleaty of arguments to explain

Macmillan.

net 1**

Painful Place

minutes

More than three feet of extremely muscular and

Then Old Benjamin bit the dinghy. It was his last energetic fish in a five-foot act, but one magnificently dinghy is an awesome thing worthy of the old warrior,

the

an elegant fellow with a world that away. And the clipped, supreme, he lived alone, a weary plu called Harold authoritative voice, the toothy dark shadow among the

foot in the air and landed ficulty was (A) to get hold that he was "holed beneath what. His progress, though sincerity, the sharp bright eye-weeds, only glitting forth

water line!"

stendy, WAS "Marcus' bring one out with a

The remarkably slap in Unele Ed- how could they

possibly be when hunger called to dine to you!" yelled back Mrs ward's lap. After a second's

watchers became abruptly slow, and it seemed a long reslated?

eft a fat trout, after a McQuorn, who was hopping startled 'inactivity he re

• A bludgeon for stunning fah, silent, agonisedly gazing at time before Lukle was able race to assist him to the shore, what had become 4

where he was seized by against time..

many pairs of eager hands For a while it seemed that half-dragged, half- Unele Edward must win, as carried him protestingly

And heading them all stalked a spare, angry, glittering Sgure, his sleeves encrusted with gold lam, six rows of medal ribbons blazing on his chest,

"They wouldn't let me lead an expedition into Trundheim."

The government had not even issue a bothered to

three-line Whip.

And was not til 5 pm. next sald Admiral of the Fleet Sir day that the Opposition decided Roger Keyes us he cost his vote on a Vote of Censure.

with the Socialist, "So I'm leading an expedition into this lobby instead.”

What went wrong?

Tarce men-all Tories--forced the issue. Together they trans-

have friends in the House.

1

welcome the challenge. I call on my friends to support us in the lobby tonight,”

No fresh argument. No refor-

Forty of Chamberlain's sup- formed the whole debate. What ence to principles. No call for porters marched against the had started as a measured in

abstained from

national unity. Merely a petty Prime Minister that day. Eighty quest on Norway became a appeal to personal loyalty. Wan When the division figures were general probe into the capacity that really the best he could do? read out in the packed House of Chamberlain to wage war.

more

there was pandemonium.

voting.

For the Government-281.

Against-200,

It was declalye. Chamberlain

Sharp attack

The first was Rogor Keyes,

knew it. At a stroke he had lost perhaps the most inept orator

from the Treasury

TOSC Ho Bench,

The House was scancialised. It may be that by this arrogant Intervention,

slx Just

hours before the vote, Neville Chamberlain pronounced his own political death sentence.

If so, it was all for the best.

more than half his normal par- in the entire House of Commons, For, of course, the judgment of liamentary majority. He

spoke hallingly, as usual, Amery and the rest was utterly shoulders bowed. Slowly, with a corrected himsell.

from notes. He stumbled, paused, right. Nobody could have been pale little suffic, he walked

But through less tied to lead Britain in war away behind the Speaker's chair. thing flamod; a passion for bold minded Idealist.

And as he loft the chamber a theasures, a lust for action.

his fearful performance some- than this neat, sober, tidy-

A

His private letters in the

him

handful of members cruel and

Here W19 leadership. slckening moment-started to burned

It winter, of 1939-40 reveal sing Rulo Britannial

into When a House's mind.

question

the completely. "I groan in spirit Idol falls.

Was this the over every life lost." public

"1 do not always little men who squalidly berlain!

spirit which inspired Cham- believe that holocausta GIC exulf.

required." "Take no offensive unless Hitler begins it."

there are

Next, Leo Amery; and the No other single not of the attack on the Premier charpenett. wartime House of Commons can Norway was bad enough,

Two days after the Commons compare in importance with the aid it stand alone?

But vote, on May 10, the Nazis invaded Belgium and the Low vote of May 0, 1940, its conse

Countries. It was the end of the

quences were immense. It led to

"It is only a piece with our Phoney Wor which Chamber- slowness in Tuin so exactly embodied the

Coalition Government, opened hesitation

and

the doors of 10, Downing Street responding to Finland's eppenis war which would comehow be

to Winston Churchill, spring for cleaned the whole war effort,

Spontaneous

economic

arms, in our handling of won without enunities. On May warlize and the 18 a new Prime Minister paid reorganisation of industry, of his respects to the Commoza. our re-training of our workers, of the production of the essential munitions of war, of ogrkulturo-fact, the whole of our natiormal effort," designed its

Yet it was curiously uncon-

trived. Nobody

And then, with devastating

'Tears and sweat'

A

timing. No long, elaborate plote effect, this dorco, surging little And suddenly for the puzzled, tinglay behind it, What spooker turned to the Prime leatherless people of Bribedn destroyed Chamberlain was a Minister and flung at him the everything become clear. sudden, spontaneous explosion. famous advice of Cromwell to

the Long Parliament:

In retrospeck today it is easy

his shoulder. But this was not the way it looked then,

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and awCDL”

That made sense.

"You ask, what is our policy? I will say it is to wage war, by land and air with all our might"

to misjudge the political atmo- "You have dot too long here sphere of that time. So easy to for any good you have beca feel that Churchill was bound to doing. Deport, I say, and let us become wartime Pelme Minister; lave done with you. In the that Providence had its hand on name of God, go."

That night, when the debate was adjourned, the Tory party Churchill was still an un- The revoit nd - began.

paintally searched Ite consciento That was a policy all right. known quality; only just back pochaps something mono es But

"You ask, what is our alm? I Front Beach after 10 needed to drive it through Next can, anawer in one word: it is sears in the wilderness; maselve afternoon its thing but mysterious; suspect to many. pitched in: Chamberlain himself.

architect' victory!"

Chamberlain: still trolled a

on the

UNDETERRED SMALL WAR

FERDINAND

BIG WAR DETERRENT

LEVELS OF DEFENCE.

Now mo

HONK

· That woe It. A wave et clation Herbert Morrison had just awept the country. colossal prestige. For most of finished speaking. Suddenly the sow what it was all shinat his three yeare at Number 10 he Prime Minister leaped up. bed dendunted Ministers, Parila was in a fury, his voice. harla And Charoberinia? His por- ment and the public more and strelsked; bio nes spectacularly than ang previous his tooth like a tal in a corner, pounded, Is July, he fell ill. In

“aborwizng“ morinoa tragedy was swiftly com Premier of the century; and for one MP salt male. millione, even with opposernent

iamrullah, the moameric effect, or shy thưa” he cited, “ia my had not yet worn off,

triand In the

September, ire cetired dram poli-

·Sion. In November, ke died?

--(London Express Service),

UN DETERRED

MIND WAR

he made. the

foam churn info the Castle." Throwing behind his wild strokes, but them rudely off, he sat when Old Benjamin bit, he dewn heavily on a ram- bit well and truly, and with shackle chair in front of the air rushing now fruin the fire.

the gaping rent he had

mado like, a defunct steam-. whistle. the

once-plump

walls of the dinghy began to billow oininously.

Then

with

Real Sorrow

"Whisky !" he said

dramatic hoarsely.

speed; Uncle. Edward sank,

bellowing something as te

He was given the bottle

went, the wreathing sides and lowered it three inches of the dinghy closing over in about as miny awallows. his head in a mournful He belehed, furingly.

mime of farewell. Huge

bubbles came up, burst for

That's

Better!"

WHile: and subsided gasped, wiping. Els gradually. The loch Waters moustache. "That was a rendled their pence; Uncle fine, fine fish, Aggio, real Edward's paddle, Hat and figliter, Beat I've ever tréef once more, fidating hooked.” quietly on top of them.

"Oh Edivard" cried Mrs "He'll drown!" shrieked McQuorn, in rea! sorrow. the fadles in tardy unison, "And you've lost him?” A coming electrically to life general groan of sympathy like

forgetful

Greek went up, everybody sudden- chorus that has been ly remembering. pinched from behind.

"Lost him? Lost hint be "Oh my God!" cried the damned!" retorted ker men in similar unison, So brother. He unbuttoned his he will and they dashed coat. Old Benjamin, in all heroically forward, Lukle in his. dark glory, flopped his waders, the other two limply out on to the stone. struggling out of their floor.

coats.

"What the blazes d'you Then, just as abruptly, think I was doing under the Uncle Edward re-appeared, water all that time?" Uncle Standing in about five feet Edward demanded, "Playin'

He shook his dominoes 7"

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