2110-8-3-14

DICTATED. [Crawford?]

7, AUDLEY SQUARE , W.l.

21st December 1936.

Dear John

We are getting over our crisis, still feeling badly bruised, but none the less confident, and hoping that we have finished with all these manoeuvres and intrigues which caused us such profound anxiety. The influence of Canada was weighty, partly through the good offices of Peacock, who was brought in via the Duchy of Cornwall, partly also because the Dominion Ministers seem to have been thoroughly well informed from beginning to end. Beaverbrook, of course, behaved badly, but with crass stupidity into the bargain. His asthma had a miraculous cure on reaching New York - he was back here by the return boat and, I believe, was at Fort Belvedere within two or three hours of his arrival. His paper has been wobbling. He seemed to have some glimmer that Canadian opinion was hardening against a Royal marriage, but at the same time could not bring himself to drop the vendetta against Baldwin. It all shows how little he knows about Canadian politics, or those of the oversea realms either. Actually the day before the abdication he said that all available troops in London would have to be mobilised, in order to suppress the rioting which he considered inevitable; and he said that we should be extremely lucky if we escaped very serious bloodshed. I hope that this sinister figure in our public life may now be extinguished. He certainly contributes very little to the Canadian evolution of thought, about which he claims to be such an authority.

George Courthope blew into London an hour before the vote in

7, AUDLEY SQUARE , W. l.

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the House of Commons on the abdication question, looking more than ever like a typical Sussex squire and/or the Chairman of the most prosperous brewery in Britain. He arrived from South Africa, and he too was greatly impressed by the speed and completeness with which Ministers grasped the issues as and when they arose. It is evident that a firstclass system of consultation has been evolved, no doubt through the increased efficiency and importance of the Crovm Commissioners in London . It is evident that the South African Government took immense trouble in the matter, and he (Courthope) was impressed by their sane outlook, and in particular by the richness of Smuts's resource. Most amusing of all, most significant too, were his conversations with the South African Republicans. They were terrified that the crisis would really become overwhelming, in which case their Republicanism would have become a living issue - the last thing in the world they want, as they are most anxious that it should remain an academic problem.

In liquidating our crisis we have had two anodyne events, two distractions which have switched our anxieties towards lighter affairs - firstly a test-match in which Hammond is a hero. His name appears on the newspaper posters as prominently as did that of Mrs. Simpson a week ago. He must be a splendid fellow - English, I expect, and probably a batsman: and I believe that the matches take place in Australia. Anyhow, London is enthusiastic, and Hammond's prowess has proved essential to English happiness and meditation throughout some

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7, AUDLEY SQUARE , W.1.

awkward days. Secondly, there as been a queer shindy at the B.B.C., in which somebody who appears to be somewhat neurotic brought a libel action against Le nommé Levita, a L.C.C. Boss, who was mulcted in £7500 damages. A torrent of abuse and innuendo has fallen upon the B. B. C., so much so that the Government appointed a Committee of Enquiry, a sort of Court of Honour, with Josiah Stamp as Chairman. I expect he found the job more serious than he anticipated. Anyhow, he stuck it out and has just issued a report in which he scolds everybody all round. He was always pietistic, and a doctrinaire to boot. Anyhow, the aggrieved fellow at the B. B. C. used to interest himself in a talking mongoose, or at any rate got the reputation of doing so. You can imagine the Londoner's interest in the mongoose case. London does not quite know if it is a music-hall joke, or the name of a clown, or a style of charcuterie. Anyhow, the "Daily Express" made us all laugh by sending a special reporter to interview the creature in the Isle of Man. He failed to locate the beast, though he alleged that the animal could be heard rambling about behind the wainscoting of the farm-house at 1 a . m. And so the shindy proceeded. Hansard and the mongoose completely occupied our thoughts for two or three days. The Stamp - Mongoose Report occupied 12 or 14 columns in the "Morning Post." Think of it! And the public has revelled - one might almost say wallowed - in all this farce and absurdity. There was almost a full-dress debate in the House of Commons. It has been an innocent reaction from great-

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er issues, and all this chatter has done us a world of good.

And now we have got to begin, after this interlude of three weeks, to look across the Channel to the rapidly developing situation, to Spain and Germany and Italy. As regards the former, we are in a very anomalous position, for we watch the despatch of arms and troops to both part ies in the Peninsular, while a Committee sits in London, attended by all the non- Spanish belligerents, and established to prevent the war from spreading. The lying which goes on at that Committee exceeds all belief. Poor Plymouth is dazed by the blandness of Grandi's violence and iniquities. I don't suppose the others are any better. The other day Van Swinderen gave us a killing description of Maiski's grin and giggle after perpetrating some insolence against the German representative. Meanwhile, we are ourselves earnestly maturing a gentleman's agreement with Italy, knowing full well that the last thing Musso means to do is to behave like a gentleman.

Our own situation is throughout embarrassed, if not controlled, by the progress of our re-armament. Munitions grow apace, aeroplanes are multiplied, and we have just escalated 5 cruisers. But where are the men to man our fleet or our forces? Recruiting is seriously in arrears. As a nation, we are as oblivious to our danger as our enemies are alive to our weakness.

Keep well through this hard winter.

Yours Bal

The Rt. Hon. Lord Tweedsmuir

Postscript

Dictated 7, Audley Square, W.1.

Our sense of relief is profound - immeasurable. We feel much as we did at the Armistice, namely the removal from our hearts & spirits of a burden wh. was intolerable. This fortnight of Crisis was indeed worse in some ways than the closing days of the war, for then we could at least hold our heads high, & cd also see success before us in the immediate future. But in this constitutional crisis all was fear & uncertainty - Europe pointing the finger of scorn at us, the Dominions beginning to frown, the republicans, after 50 years of silence again whispering their sinister plan of campaign & even friends of our own not hesitating to fish in troubled waters - it was all odious & unbearable. I didn't think we cd have lasted for another 3 days, for there wd have been an explosion - a March to Belvedere with a crowd clamouring for abdication, then counter demonstrations - think of it all!

Well, we breathe again. Confidence revived within a few hours. Clive Wigram was recalled to the King's Cabinet. The K made a sturdy speech of loyal constitutionalism. Even the sacked Sataness at Sandringham & the ghillies at Balmoral were reassured. The little Princesses won all hearts, the new Queen for the moment in tactful & modest retirement, with the revered Queen Mother sending a message of thanks & affection to us all. She indeed has received and has deserved our homage in full measure.

The other side of the picture is gloom unrelieved. The last few days at Fort Belvedere were a nightmare. He stayed in moody solitude