2110-5-9-11

St. Stephen's House, London, S. W. 1.

15th September, 1931.

My own darling,

I do hope you will have a comfortable journey to-day, attended by your two stalwart sons, and that you are throwing off your cold . I am afraid I have caught your cold, or something very like it.

I had a very pleasant journey down yesterday with my old friend, Sullivan, the miners' Member for Bothwell. His one dominating feeling is a passionate hatred for Gandhi. He said, "Look here, Mr. Buchan, if you and me was to paint ourselves blue and tie something round our middle, and turn up in London, we would be arrested by the polis. And yet they let yon naked savage come blathering here. I would gie him a goat and send him into the wilderness. I asked him if the Labour people felt the same, and he said, "Every man at the bottom of his heart." I had also the company of the young actor who played "Young Woodley." I think his name is Frank Lowton - a very pleasant fellow.

I got to the House at seven o'clock, snatched a mouthful of dinner , and was then called on by the Speaker. I think I made a useful speech, and though I was very much interrupted by the Labour people, the interruption was very friendly compared with what everybody else got. Neville Chamberlain's winding up was pure pandemonium. I am more and more inclined to think tha t we shall adjourn in about three weeks for a fortnight , and then go to the country as a National Government. I had a long talk with Megan, and she says

her father is desperately concerned about the necessity of defeating decisively the Labour rabble in the country. That is all very well, but had it not been for him they would have been out of office long ago.

This afternoon Simon is announcing his conversion to Tariff Reform, and he will be followed by a very large number of Liberals, I think.

I do not yet know by what train I shall get back on Friday, but I will know tomorrow. I am desperately busy, for everyone in politics seems to want me to do something different. I have got (Sir) Henry Clay and Keynes coming on Wednesday and Thursday evenings to talk to some of the Members.

I long for the end of the week to come, to see you again.

Much love John

P.S. Will you please give the enclosed letter to John, which I opened by mistake.