BIOGRAPHY OF DUKE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 16 December 1937, Page 11

BIOGRAPHY OF DUKE

EXPLANATION RV SOLICITORS

LONDON, 2nd December

The solicitors for tin: Duke ol Windsor have revealed that Die Duke informed Mr Compton Mackenzie Ilia! he could not supply any informal ion for the biography that be intended to write and over the negotiations for wlieili some controversy has occurred.

They said that Mr Mackenzie approached the Duke, and he was given to understand that I lie Duke would welcome a hook written by him. Rut, after full consideration ol the synopsis at the end of October, the Duke wrote informing Mr Mackenzie that he could not supply any information.

Recent aiuioumemeids, the solicitors added, made it necessary for the Duke to come to a final decision immediately in the terms of the earliei statement made bv them.

NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE

This was to the effect that they had no intention ol approving the contents of any biography, nur were they prepared to supply information for it. Messrs Richard and Cowan, who intended to publish the hook, have issued a statement in which they say that they arranged with Mr Mackenzie in duly to publish the biography. Correspondence at that time between the Duke of Windsor and Mr Mackenzie showed that Mr Mackenzie had sought, and had obtained, authority to write an authentic account ot the Dukes life, am) particularly of events leading to the abdication.

On the strength of that correspondence (ho publishers entered into certain commitments

Latcr it was arranged that a synopsis ■!' the hook should he scut to the Duke by Mr .Mackenzie. One of the objects ol the book was (o have been to counteract misstatements that were being circulated. So far Iron: disapproval being expressed, it was not until the beginning of November that any indication was given that a change of mind was possible, and it was not until last Monday that the publishers were informed that the Duke did not intend to proceed with the matter.

MR SHAW'S OPINION Mr George Bernard Shaw, writing in the Socialist, weekly “Forward,” condemns the suggestion that the Duke of \\ iudsoi should he allowed to “fade out,” and that the newspapers should cease to publish news of his activities. “The notion is unworkable,” lie adds, “unless Ldward proves to lie a genuine nonentity, which is hardly consistent with his abdication. The sooner his visit to Hie United Mates is revived under the auspices of congenial American Labour the better.”