HUMOUR IN MOSCOW MEETING

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 20, 18 October 1941, Page 10

HUMOUR IN MOSCOW MEETING

This Man Beaverbrook

AN ORDINARY MAN’S VIEW OF THE WAR

(By Observer.)

Lord Beaverbrook’s report on the four-day conference in Moscow ou supplies for Russia captured popular imagination everywhere. AA’e liked both Hie speed with which the decisions were reached aud Lord Beaverbrooks lively narrative of what was done. Not only that, but there was a certain humour about the whole proceeding which the oiilookiug world can hardly have failed to note. It was the engaging spectacle of one of industry’s biggest capitalists hustling to the material aid ot Hie world’s No. 1 Communist. In times other than these, such an episode would more properly belong to the field of a fanciful novelist aud be dismissed with an Incredulous laugh. But war makes fact of fiction aud reality out of unreality. Henee Beaverbrook aud Stalin, eyeing each other across a table in the Kremlin, and doubtless appreciating the comedy of the situation. . AA'hat sort of a man is this Beaverbrook, this right-hand man of Mr. Churchill, this genius at getting things done? To gain any real impression it is necessary to get close to him. I have been able to do that by an introduction through one of his former associates ou the board of directors ot Express Newspapers, Ltd., Mr. F. AV. Doidge, Opposition M.P. for Tauranga. He has been good enough to supply a: sketch of Beaverbrook as he knew him. Here it is: “Beaverbrook as a power in politics has been greatly helped by his control of the Beaverbrook Press, which includes the ‘Daily Express,’ with a daily net sale of 2,600,000 copies-the greatest in the world —the ‘Sunday Express’ and the ‘London Evening Stand"A man of infinite drive, originality and courage, he never hesitates to use his newspaper Press in fighting lost causes. AVhen he launched his Empire crusade his editors told him pursuit of the policy would be so unpopular that he would wreck the circulations of his newspapers. Undaunted, he challenged the Government of the day, fought and won one by-election after another, and in 1932 forced the Government lo adopt his policy, which wrought a fiscal revolution, and turned Britain overnight from a free trade to a protectionist country. “David Low delights lo lampoon Ins boss, Lord Beaverbrook as a sprite with an immense head and a wide, impish grin. Bruce Lockhart describes Beaverbrook as a man ‘with a lord body and a Bolls Boyce brain, bo you take your choice of either when trying to form a picture of the man who today plays so vital a part in world events. . “Beaverbrook’s capacity for work is enormous. His working day is never less titan 16 hours. As one who worked close beside him for many years, my day’s work invariably began at 7.30 in the morning, with Beaverbrook in his bath, discussing plans and projects as intently as if he sat in his office chair. The'‘Evening Standard’ leader writer or editor would interview him while he dressed. Business managers would breakfast with, him.' And the day would end with last-minute conferences of one kind or another at midnight. “Beaverbrook is a staunch believer in youth! ‘Give the eaglets their chance’ is his constant cry. Men like H V. Morton, Howard Spring, Frank Owen, Francis Williams and Percy Cudlipp (the two last-named since editors Of London’s Labour Daily, the ‘Daily Herald’), are all proteges of Beaverbrook. His editorial and business executives include many men on the right side of thirty. ■ “Dynamic in all he does, Beaverbrook attacks everything with a Calvanistic zeal. His knowledge of the Bible is profound. He is forever quoting the Scriptures. He hates sham and pretence. He detests routine. He cuts through red tape with a* savage irlec. “A typical story told of him us the newly-appointed Minister of Aircraft Production. Time, 2 a.m. A telephone call goes in to the home of a Midland manufacturer. ‘Well, Mr. Brown, how does your production quota keep up to schedule?’ The manufacturer explains, and at length suggests that as he shivers beside the phone in his pyjamas, he would like to get back to bed.. ‘Bed’’ roars Beaverbrook. ‘Heavens, man, what are you doing in bed? Don’t you know there’s a war on?’ “Beaverbrook, like Churchill, comes back into public life after years of political obliquy. Churchill for years was in the political wilderness, pleading the unpopular creed of preparing for a war that was inevitable. Beaverbrook was equally unpopular with AVestminster because he dared to hammer Governments which allowed Britain’s husbandry to fall into decay. AVhen war came, the people turned to the two men who had championed the unpopular causes. It is in the days of post-war reconstruction that Beaverbrook will do his greatest work, for Beaverbrook is a builder.’’ Soviet Shadow Capital.— Away back 1090 miles east of the Kremlin stands the shadow capital of Sverdlovsk, which a “high official says” Stalin is holding in reserve should Moscow iafi. In the days of the Czar it was known as Ekaterinburg—the city where the Czar and members of the Hoyal Family were done to death. Then a small town, it is now looked upon as Russia’s real wartime capital. It is a city of half a million inhabitants, ami beyond effective bombing range ev en from Moscow. It is a centre of vast mineral resources —iron, coal, copper, gold, platinum and manganese—ami houses large armament factories. Great electric power stations supply the many plants and mills. In a moment it could be made the headquarters cf the Soviet Government and military machine. And no doubt, hidden among the consonants, are other which could serve as capitals if need Victoria Cross.—The award of the \’ O to Second Lieutenant Upham ami Sergeant Hulme brings the total of such awards won in ibis vs ar to —u, I believe. If that is correct, the grand total since Queen vic *?ria first preseated the decoration in 18u7 is 1104. Between 3914 and 1920 578 V.C.’s were won bv heroes of the British fighting forces, 182 were awarded during the Indian Mutiny, and 7S in the South African AA’ar. The iirst cross was won by Charles David Lucas, mate of_ H.M.S. Hecla, during the Crimean AAar. The Russians dropped a live shell on the deck. It was on the point of exploding when Lucas rushed to where it lay, picked it up. and flung it overboard. Tlie earliest crosses were cast in metal taken from Russian guns in tlie Crimea. Chinese guns supplied the maleriiil for those awarded in 19114918. It would be interesting to hear what they are made from now, if they are not also from the Chinese guns.