COMPULSORY QUESTION

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29010, 26 September 1959, Page 12

COMPULSORY QUESTION

[By WHIM WHAM] The U.S, Secretary of State (Mr Herter) said he was • little impatient of those who had merely waved off Mr Khrushchev’* suggestion of disarmament as propaganda. ... It was propaganda, but it represented an effort of mankind to reach a solution of one at least of the major problems of the world that was a great threat to peace.—News Item. When Khrushchev cried, “Let’s all disarm!” Some thought that it could do no Harm To take him up, and talk him round, Till some Agreement might be found. Some thougnt the Notion was absurd (What! Take the Devil at his Word?), Some thought the Likelihood was small That any Benefit could fall; Some didn’t have to think at All—- “ Mere Propaganda. Pah!” they said. “We’re far to smart to be misled.” No Fluctuations, wild and strange, Took place upon the Stock Exchange, As if complete Disarmament Were a conceivable Event, When Khrushchev’s hopeful Words were uttered: No Pulse on Wall Street jumped or fluttered. No single Capitalist Face Betrayed Emotion—not a Trace! “Disarm!” he cried. “Let’s ditch the Lot! Down to the smallest Arms we’ve got! From Hand-grenades to H-bombs! There’s The Answei to a sick World’s PRAYERS.” Did they believe him? Yes—and no. Was he sincere? He sounded so. Sincere or not, we won’t deny There was SOME Meaning in his Cry: If not a Promise, it was yet Quite evidently not a Threat... With Answers ready on his Lips, He smiles, he scowls, he snaps, he quips, He eats Hot Dogs, he waves his Hat, For ail the World to wonder at. And well it may, unless we choose To test the Man behind the News— Behind the Words, the true Intent— Disarming? or Disarmament? Compulsory Question. Sir! Too tough For Us to answer off the Cuff!