◆ SpookStack

immediate break in the con who formed in the lands occ! i Unuity of the Munich policy Pled by the Nazis an immens ' roughout the period of the potential resistante. . phqhey war it seems almost Like many other’ Britor Cerfaln that some of the British Burgess saw the best hope oj ‘ leaders, unable to swallow the Victory—short of entry into the ! humiliating fact that Hitler had Rar Of Soviet Russia. and tricks them. still hankered America—in the organisation of § after their old plan of a this underground resistance, second Munich.” "this tim perhaps through Switzerland. ‘The change came when Chun ehill became Prime Minister. » " erB00 after that the gravest “erists of the war occurred. France fell. and Britain fought on alone. + et Britain was not entirely alone: besides the free forces , njexile, there were millions of 15; and simul- * weking peopte, innumerable {taneously returned to his old angi still largely unorganised, Jjob at the BBC. where he - mayed for nearly “three years ore, 5 Part in his sul preanise Hitler's direction— told He put up » memorandum to . reflect. and hel on & sectude In Hertfordshire what he was NM the frst school for was clviian saboteurs, * AMBITION This is his chance N_ 1941 he undertook arttime work with Soon he made @ “discovery” which was to play an importa sequent career, He found that Hector McNeil MP. for Greenock, was @ firs! yale broadcaster and used hi in the “ Week ir Westminster, Programme, ‘This professional relationshi! developed into Dersonal friend- ship ; id in 1946, McNei} State ft i 5 g a st the shadowy figure lurking at the elbow of the public man. be ‘cam, ited! the Pore ny! sistant, ad 5, = when Minister of Office, he be his personal epariment under Wiliam Ridsdale, His original eft him. ‘The News Department Ras,8 useful back-door to the Foreign Office ttself, CALCULATION This is his power A S an historian, he had I have ilttle doubt that, per- haps palf-consciously. he 0. &8 McNeil's Per. tal in this 7 OF tate McNgil eld Cabinet rank. In the bsences abroad. or varougn § ile ess, of his chief, Ernest in, fe often had to act as Foreign jecretary. —— fnter the public service, in the * : full sense of the term. hi a AL last. at the age of 96, urgess’s steady inner purpdse nd his calculations, ited series of fortunate changes id coincidences he was jn- leed near the centre of powkr. When he talked to me of those Foreign Office days Guy recalled an incident, still remem- bered by senior officials with mingled amusement and horror. Bevin committed himself in Principle to a@ bilateral Anglo- American trading agreement which he feared he would have diMiculty in persuading the hinet to accent. He therefore succumbed tofa iplomatic illness and went [pr cruise on @ friend's vacht. ¥e foined the yacht at Poole, Wut ; had to stay within the thr mile imit because he had not olftained the King’s permissi leave the country, ‘n his absence news of 1) glo = American rap os i reached his colleagues. ir Teaction was as he had ex; ted. Number 10, Downing-street telephoned the’ Foreign Ome. Guy happened to be on duty. “The Prime Minister wants to see the Foreign Secretary urgently,” said Number 10, . “He's away.” salg Guy. “Find him,” said Number 10, This was easier to demand than to effect. Bevin had craftily ensureg that the yacht should not be in wireless com- munication with the shore. MeNeil's Private Secretary, Mr. Fred Warner, went down to Poole and tried to semaphore to the yacht. At last. after many messages had been sent, Warmer saw what appeared to be the Foreign Secretary's ample form being Towed landwards, There was a good deal of “spray, and he seemed to be copered by & waterproog sh ~fihen, the boat touched lant. tip waterproof sheet was ide—and two sallora jumped it from under it,