BELISHA RESIGNATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 February 1940, Page 9

BELISHA RESIGNATION

COMMENTS ON “BRASS HATS.” LONDON, January 9. An indication of the feeling aroused over the resignation is reflected by Hannen Swaffer in the Daily Herald. Labour must insist, whatever its views on the War Office row may be, on Belisha’s democratisation of the army remaining, and, more than that being extended (he said). Brass Hats do ; not understand the change that, since 1918, has come over the country. Many of them still think of private soldiers as the old down-at-heel recruits of Kipling days. It was the Brass Hats at the War Office whom Florence Nightingale had to fight. That was in 1855. A later generation of. Brass Hats were responsible, in the Boer War—lB99-1902 —for the Remount Scandal. Labour then called it “sending out three-leg-ged cab horses to catch De Wet.” Those same Brass Hats mocked at Sir Alfred Fripp for wanting to take to ■ the Cape one nurse —she afterwards became his wife —as part of his hospital unit. “We don’t want a lot of women mucking about.” they said.

Then, in the last war, Brass Hats at the War Office opposed the use of tanks. “I believe Winston’s got a' mad idea of putting guns in a sar-dine-box,” said one of them to me. In the same little trouble which cost Britain nearly 1,000,000 lives. .Brass I-latdom refused to make highexplosive shells. For months our army was sent, instead, more shrapnel, powerless against the German guns. ; . Sw-affer says that on the day of his last visit to the War Office. Mr. Hore-Belisha spent his time in being

cheered, and in turning down city directorships. • “American newspapers wanted, articles from him. Publishers wanted books. Ho was offered everything-ex-cept Shirley Temple’s job in Hollywood. Always when you get the sack get a big one.” . ‘ : .