LONDON TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 22619, 10 April 1937, Page 12

LONDON TOPICS

SUDDEN DEATH OF SIR A. CHAMBERLAIN BELGIUM SEEKS TO SCRAP FACT ITALIAN THREAT TO EASTERN SEA TRANSPORT [Fsom Our Correspondent.! [By Air Mail.] Marcli 18. Sir Austen Chamberlain, who was in the House *of Commons last Thursday, and took part in a Foreign Office debate a week earlier, died on Tuesday at his London house. He had been indisposed for three days, but felt better, and'was on his way to his library when he collapsed and passed away. The news came as a painful shock to everybody at, the House of Commons, where this kindly, wise and devoted elder statesman was second to none in. general -regard.. Distinguished as his work was in various high Cabinet posts, it was only when Sir Austen relinquished office and became a sort of bank bench Nestor, that his true worth came to be generally recognised. He exercised immense influence oyer the House of Commons, and it is not too much to say that on critical occasions his attitude was decisive. He shared his famous father’s intense loyalties to friends and causes,_ yet was never afraid to admit a mistake, and behind his slightly austere manner lurked a most delightful humour. His death snaps a link with pre-war ; politics that can never be forged again. He rivalled Mr Lloyd George himself in length of Parliamentary service, and his maiden speech is historic, if only because it drew tears from Joe Chamberlain, who could not resist the emotion of Gladstone’s tribute on that occasion. “A speech,” said the G.0.M., “to gladden a father’s heart.” A delicate situation has developed in Belgium. The existing regime is boldly challenged by a Fascist 7 movement, in addition to which Hitler, has offered a non-aggression guarantee, provided Belgium has no other international commitments.. For these reasons Brussels wants now to scrap the agreement made a year ago with France and _ Britain, guaranteeing mutual defensive action, and arranging for co-ordinated military staff plans against any such emergency. Belgium’s desire is strict neutrality on her part, backed by a guarantee of territorial integrity by Germany, France, and ourselves. The objection to this course is that, without staff coordination of plans, any such guarantee is both useless and dangerous. France urges this point stronglv, and our military chiefs concur. It all boils down to whether or not Germany has changed her views as to the ethics of “ scraps of paper.” WAZIR UNREST. Whilst it is emphasised here that the immediate dispatch of troops to the North-west Frontier is purely a precautionary measure, it is not denied that the existing, unrest among the tribesmen is of such a nature as to render such precaution a common act of prudence. “ The Wazzjes,” as our Tommies call the Waziristan tribesmen, are a peculiar instance.of a little judicious propaganda. Whenever there is unrest in the air, the first business of our agents is to locate the troublemonger. It is not always the fakir who does the most shouting who is the real nigger in the woodpile. Often he has received his inspiration from sources far removed from his native mountain fastnesses. Russians in the past have caused many hurried reinforcements of normal North-west Frontier 'garrisons. Of late, however, their activities have been much less marked, and, if the present trouble is not of native brewing, it is not their emissaries so much as those of a more westerly European Power, whose movements wll be most closely scrutinised. MUSSOLINI’S BOAST. During the Abyssinian trouble, when our Fleet left its headquarters at Malta for Gibraltar and Suez, the general talk was that the move was dictated by anxiety about air attack. Actually this was not the case. What our naval _ authorities had much more in mind, in the event of any sudden clash, was submarine attack, and also the menace of a new type of fast small surface craft in which Mussolini has specialised. These small craft possess a turn of speed far greater than any other existing naval vessels. The Italian Press, which reflects Mussolini’s sentiments and views witli absolute fidelity, now boasts that, by means of these vessels, with submarines and planes, Italy could at any moment make the Middle Sea a closed Italian lake, notwithstanding our bottle-neck holds at each end. Here we have apparently Mussolini’s trump card. He believes he could hamstring our eastern sea transport at a moment’s notice. Our new naval construction does not leave this factor out of account. _ H.M.S. Newcastle first commissioned of the new cruisers of the Southampton class, reflects the British Admiralty’s considered reactions to the new air challenge. She is the first cruiser to carry aircraft hangars, of which she has two, together with a catapult launcher. In addition to her useful main armament of 6in guns, which can fire vertically for use against air attack, she has twin mountings for her 4in anti-aircraft guns, and, on each side of her hangars, a- multi-barrelled anti-aircraft pom-pom gun. She carries eight torpedo tubes, and is heavily armoured from below water to her main deck. She steams up to 32 knots. We are building altogether 10 such cruisers, and these will make a very powerful squadron in reinforcement of, ,the Home Fleet. Together they would obviously be cajiable of putting up a formidable air barrage, quite apart from their ordinary fighting value to the Fleet. THAT BLESSED WORD. Our Army authorities are as passionately devoted to parade uniformity as ever. They insist that at the Coronatoin turn-out all Territorial battalions must wear the same blue parade uniform as issued to the Regulars. Units like the Artist Rifles, the London Scottish, and the H.A.C., who are justly proud or their distinctive dress, keenly resent the ukase, which will make them unrecognisable to their friends, and also rather a motley crew in some cases. A blue tunic will go badly with the Scottish kilt. A normal person would welcome the picturesque variety of different uniforms, but not so Whitehall. It recalls a friend of mine, who joined for the duration in 1914, and got fed up to the teeth with this form of military idolatry. One day he ventured a legpull, and suggested to the R.S.M. that the dinner rations ought to he issued uniformly, with the meat and vegetables dressed by the right. To his amazement. instead of straffing him, the R.S.M. beamed approvingly. “ A damn

good idea! ” quoth he, and probably passed it on to higher authority as his own! VOLUNTEER AIR RESERVE. Under the new scheme for the creation of an R.A.F. volunteer reserve, the details of which have now been settled, the Air Ministry hopes, to enrol at least 800 suitable applicants' within the first 12 months. Attractive terms of service have been agreed upon, and the intention is, to enrol to this new and very important adjunct of our national defence organisation eligible young fellows between 18 and 25 years of age. They will be afforded facilities, at small outlay bn their own part, to qualify as R.A.F, pilots in their spare time. Their training course will be a five-year one, at aerodromes as convenient as possible to their own homes, and those who complete full training will be listed for service with regular R.A.F. squadrons if and when called upon.. The call will not hq made unless a genuine national emergency justifies it. It is expected that there may be more applicants than the Air Ministry can actually entertain. CIVIL LIST. No serious difficulty is expected to arise in connection with the appointment of a committee to consider the Civil List. The various parties have already informally chosen their representatives, and as they are the most influential that can be found their recommendations are not likely to meet with responsible challenge. Mr Lloyd George is said to be anxious that the State should make direct provision for the Duke of Windsor, but I doubt whether he will find support for a proposal to that effect. The 1.L.P., as on the previous occasion, is expected to decline any part in the committee’s deliberations, so that it may be free to criticise whatever is proposed. The Government anxiety that the business should be transacted with the minimum of controversy is generally shared. FROM WHITEHALL TO TOKIO. Sir Robert Leslie Craigie, who is going to Tokio as Ambassador, will be greatly missed in Whitehall, where for over 12 years he has been the trusted adviser of successive Foreign Secretaries. As becomes the son of an Admiral, he is specially conversant with naval questions, and he was one of the principal figures in the discussion of the London Treaty. .In that he came to know the Japanese delegates well, a contact which should be valuable iii his new post and perhaps conducive to a better understanding on naval policy. He has none of the starchiness usually attributed to highlyplaced diplomats, and resort to him for advice is seldom made in vain. Except for a spell in Berne and another in the United States, all his service has been in the Foreign Office. SIR JOHN ANDERSON.

Though his term as Governor of Bengal expires next November, Sir John Anderson, at the age of 55, should still have five, and possibly 10, _ years of public service before him. His work at the Colonial Office, the Insurance Commission, the Irish Office during a particularly critical period, and at the India Office was brilliant. At one time he was mentioned as a possible Viceroy. The difficulty will be for the Government to find him a suitable post when he returns. He is noted alike for his shrewdness, his taciturnity, and his grim humour. Once when a Minister asked him how he liked his new political chief he replied: “ It is no part of my duty either to like or dislike Ministers.” But they all liked him. SWEDEN’S FOREIGN MINISTER. We have a visit this week from Herr Sandler, the Foreign Minister of Sweden, and a most distinguished statesman. He began his career as a schoolmaster. but always with an eye to an eventual change over into politics. He is a graduate of Upsala University, and his accomplishments include a mastery of the violin, which entitles him to hold his post as president of the Swedish Academy of Music, and a perfect knowledge of French, German, and English. .He is 12 years senior to Mr Eden, our Foreign Secretary, but he was an M.P. at 26, Minister of Finance at 34, and two years later Prime Minister. Had the great Earl Balfour been alive, he would certainly, as an amateur of the fiddle himself, have insisted on hearing Herr Sandler play his_ violin. Mr Eden, who may perform a little bn the piano, but certainly does no musical fiddling, will be content to hear his Swedish vis-a-vis’s views on the European situation from.a Northern angle. AFRICAN AIR SERVICE. Whatever may be said of its details, the scheme for the improvement of the West and Central African air service will be warmly approved by those who have worked in that part of the world. Probably nowhere _ has flying contributed more to the increase of happiness and convenience. A friend who is stationed there told me recently that parts of West Africa which entailed a journey of five weeks up-river and through the bush are now within five hours of the coast by aeroplane. The result has been a great simplification of both administration and commerce, and, when the value of time is reckoned, the cost is not materially greater than the old methods. OLD SCHOOL TIE. Mr James Maxton has startled some of his disciples, and delighted many of his friendly opponents, by suddenly appearing at Westminster in an attractive new tie. This adornment is blue with red and white stripes, and is, in brief, the official and recognised tie of the Senior and Silent Service. Naturally there have been urgent personal inquiries. But it appears that Mr Maxton has neither gone suddenly old school tie, developed strong rearmament enthusiasm, nor joined the R.N.R. The tie is a present from an unemployed constituent who probably was as blissfully unconscious of its real significance as was the gratefully appreciative recipient. Mr Maxton wore the tie because he liked it, and liked its source of origin. He is going to go on wearing it in spite of everything or anything. He could, if he .wished, sail under legitimate martial colours. In

his youth Mr Maxton served in a Scottish Territorial battery, and the gunners have quite a nice necktie of their very own. BROADCAST MEMORY. We' are indebted to the Archbishop of Canterbury for one of the most endearing authentic anecdotes about the the late King George V. It will be remembered that, in a public broadcast, the Archbishop told how the late Sovereign' was impressed by the popular demonstrations on the occasion of bis Silver Jubilee celebrations, and exclaimed that he could not understand such manifestations, because: ” After all, I am just an ordinary fellow.” That little episode, so characteristic of King George V., is now to he commemorated in a, novel way. A new inn has been built at Chatham, with a license transferred from an old place known _as “ The Brown Jug,” and the new inn will be called “ The Ordinary Fellow." It seems a very happy departure in the nomenclature of inns, and no surer way could be found of perpetuating the Archbishop’s intimate revelation of simple royalty. “ The Ordinary Fellow ” Inn will excite curiosity, and explanation, as long as it stands. CROWDED OUT. A slightly bitter protest is being made by artists whose works are crowded out of the Royal Academy show. There are turbulent spirits, of course, who deride the R.A. as a collection of more or less incompetent hack numbers. But to the average struggling practitioner, acceptance of work for display at Burlington House means a great deal. It enables pictures to be sold, and prices to be raised. These bread-and-butter painters are aggrieved that, owing to what they consider exorbitant demands on wall space by R.A.s and A.R.A.s, outsiders are continually being crowded out. A more serious criticism, from the longer art view, is that young painters have their genius crabbed by the necessity, if they want to be “ hung ” at the R.A., of expressing their art in the style favoured by R.A.s. This might surely be remedied by admitting to the Selection Committee a few more renresentatives of the younger school of painting. ON THE QUI VIVE. The Home Office now, has a specialAir Raid .Precautions Department, and this week it is making itself heard. Experts are stationed in various parts of London to listen-in critically whilst other officials experiment with a wide range of noises. The object is to test which is the most effective method of sounding an air raid alarm over London. These experimental uproars occur during the morning and afternoon at five-minute intervals over a period of two hours and a-quarter. The final tests will take place to-day, hut there were full-bang rehearsals earlier in the week. All the noises are not of a purely explosive quality. There are implements that produce prodigious shrieks and wails competing with the big hangs. This is all rather trying for the Anti-noise League, and Londoners generally will be on the qui vive, with nerves on edge like the gentleman in the flat below, who begged the top tenant not to allow too big an interval between kicking off both boots. ANOTHER ROYAL YACHT? It was a grievous blow to the yachting world when the famous old Royal racer, Britannia, was scuttled last year. But yachtsmen are not without hope that King George VI., who, after all, is a sailor irst of all, and took his part in the Jutland battle, will follow in his father’s footsteps so far as Cowes Week is concerned. Though his engagements are crowded for the coming summer, it is believed that His Majesty will make great efforts to put in at least one or two days at Cowes in Regatta Week. Moreover, there is a pleasing rumour that it is the King’s intention to acquire a racing yacht of his own to fill the place of the old Britannia. This rumour receives some Sort from the fact that Admiral Sir ey North, who is charge of the Royal yachts, has recently been in audience with the King at Buckingham Palace. Whether it is intended to build a new King’s yacht or to acquire one already afloat, is not indicated. BRIEFING A CADDIE. St. Andrews has sensibly refused to entertain the professional golfers’ request that at big tournaments the caddies should be allotted' by ballot. Such a step would he quite impracticable and often unfair both to players and caddies. Hagen is a notable instance of well-known golfers who engage a special caddie. He always cabled to reserve a Sandwich caddie, whose merits he well knew, and. on reaching England, went straight down there to instruct him. The caddie would travel to St. Andrews, or wherever the championship meeting was to be held, and play oyer the course for a week or two, until he knew every blade of grass, every trick of the ground, and the strength of every green. By the time Hagen arrived on the scene his special caddie was able to tell him all lie needed to know about clubs and carry over that course. Hagen would as soon have lost his clubs as given up his favourite and well-tested caddie. ECONOMICS AND ART, Mr J. M. Keynes, who is now urging industrial foresight on the Government, is a remarkable instance of an Admirable Crichton who is best known to the public for his least popular attainment. Ever since he provided a critical Greek chorus to the economics of the Paris Peace Conference, and most, if not all, of bis predictions came true, Mr Keynes is regarded by people at large as an economist pure and simple. Actually he is equally distinguished in the arts as in his special science, and has been, made this year’s selector for the Contemporary Art Society. His own private collection of works of art includes paintings by Cezanne, Seurat, and Sickert, as well as another work of art in the charming person of Mrs Keynes, the famous Russian dancer, Lydia Lonokova. Nor is this the sum of Mr Keyness’s accomplishments. Professor, company director, journalist, art connoisseur, and university don. he also manages a theatre, the New, at Cambridge, where his wife frequently performs. A strong artistic blend seems to give practical imagination to dry-as-dust economics.