2110-5-9-15

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

23rd September, 1931.

My own darling

Your postcard last night about the children puzzled me; but it was a good plan to give Alastair a free day before going back. I was very glad to get your letter this morning, and I do hope I shall really find you well on Friday evening. You had better take it that I am coming home by the 4.45 train. The weather is not so pleasant today, but I hope you got some sun yesterday.

I saw Robin Castlereagh yesterday. I think his engagement has improved him. He is getting quite lean through living on apples.

We had an interesting conclave at luncheon - C. Londonderry, Winston, Oliver Stanley, Willie Peel and myself. We think that the next election is so desperately important tha t we must have every ally, and we want a blessing from Lloyd George, so as to get the Literal caucus on our side. Winston says this can be got if S.B. and the P.M. go to see him. It was arranged that he should see these two yesterday afternoon, but Ramsay has fallen sick - has gone off to the country until Monday. He seems to have got a little gastric catarrh, like you.

I dined with David Balniel and Billie Gore, and a steel magnate, whose name I never picked up, but who was very intelligent, and Eddie Moucher ^and his wife joined us.

I am so very clear that we must have an early election, but the situation is not at all easy in Parliament, owing to the

extreme Tariff Reformers, who will make no terms with the Liberals. The Socialist Opposition gets more fatuous every day, and there is nothing to be done with such a Parliament.

They have put me on the Committee for the new movement for the revaluation of silver.

I have no more news. I am very well.

I enclose a little cutting of a nice review of Alice's book, from the Morning Post of yesterday. Much love. John