Mr Holland’s H-Bomb Comment Was Big News

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28284, 23 May 1957, Page 18

Mr Holland’s H-Bomb Comment Was Big News

(Speciat Correspondent

LONDON, May 21. More space and editorial comment has been given New Zealand since the report that the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) was concerned because he had no recent information about the timing of Britain’s nuclear test in the Pacific than at any time since the Suez crisis. Mr Holland’s remarks and Kir Macmillan’s reply certainly received far more attention in five days than the trade mission which has now been here for nearly seven weeks. New Zealanders in Britain are so accustomed to reading the minimum of news about their country that it has been somewhat startling to see “New Zealand” in the headlines, to hear about it on radio and television and to find newspapers taking different sides over Mr Holland and even publishing a cartoon. After Mr Holland’s statement last week and comment by the Commonwealth Relations Office, the “Sunday Express” in a leading article under the photograph of Lord Home, the Commonw’ealth Secretary, was strongly critical about the lack of information Mr Holland received—although it was probably happy at another opportunity to attack Lord Home. The midday editions of the “Evening Standard” on Monday carried a front-page story and headlines, saying that Mr Macmillan apologised to Mr Holland. Other evening newspapers also referred to Mr Macmillan’s letter. Today, political correspondents of various newspapers including the “Daily Telegraph,” and the “Yorkshire Post” make the point that Mr Macmillan’s reply was an explanation rather than an apology. Mr Macmillan himself did not know the exact timing of the explosion in advance and was not informed until shortly before the Ministry of Supply communique was released.

In a leading article, the “Daily Telegraph” commented on the “entirely unnecessary rush of blood to the head in New Zealand” and added it was really difficult to understand New Zealand’s complaint, and went on to say: “Mr Macmillan has very properly written to the New Zealand Prime Minister expressing regret that he should feel in any way ill used. This does not imply that London in error. It is a courteous gesture, not a confession of guilt. “Emotional Repercussions”

“But what this minor imbroglio does show is that H-bomb tests have emotional repercussions quite as unpredictable as their physical ones.

“For whatever motives and with whatever justice, agitators against Britain’s tests have succeeded in creating so much controversy laden dust that the slightest administrative grievance becomes an international incident. In future, therefore, the Govern-

ment must take even more precautions to guard against possible resentments on the issue, as even the calmest and most sensible of men can lose their sense of proportion..” The “Daily Herald” said in a short leading article headed “Some Slip”: “What are the names of Britain’s closest friends?

“Somebody should get them written in letters a foot high above Mr Macmillan’s desk. He should tie a knot in his handkerchief to remind him of the Commonwealth.

“Incredible as it seems, Britain’s Prime Minister can even forget to warn our loyal allies in New r Zealand before he lets off the H-bomb in their quarter of the globe. “Yesterday, four days from Empire Day, we had the spectacle of Mr Macmillan having to apologise for offence given by the blunder. His apology was in answer to a rebuke from New Zealand’s Prime Minister.

“The Government is continually upsetting Commonwealth countries by failures of consultation. Its regular refusal to talk with our friends is a weakening influence of the Mother Country. “Who could imagine New Zealand letting off H-bombs without fully informing us?” In the “Daily Express,” Osbert Lancaster, in a pocket cartoon, has a conversation piece between two men, one of whom is reading a newspaper with the headline: “H-bomb New Zealand Not Told."

The other man is saying: “Write me down as an,escapist, but, personally, I can think of nothing I so much do not mind being told about.”