LONDON TOPICS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18894, 8 January 1927, Page 4

LONDON TOPICS.

A PIQUANT CONTROVERSY. "THE WHISPERING GALLERY." (SrECIAUY WEITTM 108 ISZ PBJSg.) (By Dr. A. J. Harrop.) LONDON, November 29. Few more startling occurrences have marked the history of Fleet street than the developments which followed a crushing review in the "Daily Mail of "The Whispering Gallery," a book of memoirs supposed to have been written by a famous diplomat. From experience in a London newspaper s reviewing department, I can give firsthand evidence of the increasing irritation felt by reviewers at the flood of books retailing scandal about the dead which to those who knew the fact# were obviously untruthful, but which were calculated to deceive the general public into a revision of the reputations of many famous men. Some of these books of pretended memoirs have been allowed to pass without notice, favourable or otherwise, but in this book the "Daily Mail" reviewer noticed some obvious inaccuracies which led to Mr Asquith, Mr Balfour, Viscount Grey, and others being asked as to the authenticity of certain incidents reported in the book. Their replies were convincing proof of the book' 9 worthlessness, but it still required some journalistic courage to come out and denounce it as a scandalous fake. This step was taken, however, and with momentous results. . At first the publishers were inclined to hold their ground, but step by etep their position became untenable, and the book's withdrawal certain. The astounding fact was revealed that the publishers had never been in touch with Sir Eennell Rodd, former British Ambassador to Italy, who was supposed to have written the book. This gross indiscrotion on their part has, been heavily punished. The "editor" of the book, Hesketh Pearson, has been charged with obtaining a cheque from them by false pretences. Whatever the issue, it is certain that publishers will not in future rush in so blindly to buy up scandal about the great. A Triangular Contest.

"The Whispering Gallery" sensation has led to a piquant triangular contest between Lord Birkenhead, Lady Oxford, and Mr Arnold Bennett as to the propriety of retailing conversations about the dead or of using dead people, thinly disguised, as characters in novels. Lord Birkenhead criticised Mr Bennett for introducing a Cabinet Minister into his novel "Lord Eaingo." Mr Bennett rejoined that the character was not modelled in the imago of any Cabinet Minister. This morning Lord Birkenhead scores a very palpable hit by replying that the novel, when published both in book and serial form, was advertised as "the story of the life of an ex-Cabinet Minister holding office during the later years of the war." This advertisement was so widely diffused, particularly in journals to which Mr Bennett is a constant contributor, that there is no possibility that he did not see them. Lord Birkenhead, accordingly, very pertinently asks why he did not state that no Cabinet Minister waß portrayed. It is no wonder that Lord Birkenhead feels some difficulty in accepting Mr Bennett disclaimer. As 9 matter of fact, the book does portray a Cabinet Minister, and ; Mr Bennett will be hard put to it to convince the public that the case is Otherwise. The Imperial Conference. The Imperial Conference. has ended as usual with an exchange of bouquets by all the parties concerned, but this time there seems more reason for the floral tokens than has been the in the past. The conference began with murmurings from South Africa and a few misgivings about Canada. It ends with General Hertzog professedly satisfied with the new status of his country, and Canada quite as cordial as the otlier Dominions about the general agreement arrived at, Mr Coates told me the day after the conference ended that his attitude had been one of disinclination towards any written agreement, but he had concurred in the report of the Committee on Inter-Im-perial Relations because the other Dominions wanted it, and he did not wish to prejudice' in any way the cause of Imperial unity. He believed that there were dangers in preparing a written Constitution for the Empire—the chief of which was the danger of hindering natural development. This policy of Mr Coates is, of course, in the direct line of New Zealand tradition, and will doubtless f m?et with general approval in the Dominion. Mr Coates himself has made a most favourable impression in this country. He is so obviously sincere in all his statements and so little desirous of personal advertisement that his popularity is assured. Now that the conference is over, I expect he will have time to devote to seeing the possibilities of extending New Zealand's trade with this. country, and to telling British manufacturers something of New Zealand's requirements. - That lie will return convinced of the necessity of increasing the publicity staff in this countrv. I am quite convinced. The possibilities are unlimited. They are seen, but at present cannot all be utilised.

A Faux Pas. Lan Hay was in the chair at a meetins I attended last week. Nine" wellknown people spoke on the subject "Things I Object To.'' Among tnem was Mrs Rosita Forbes, the traveller and writer. One of the things she objected to was beinc awakened in the middle of the night, and she told us of three interesting experiences of "being so awakened in three widely separated countries. One other tiling she objected to was "being interrupted in the middle of one of the chairman's Bulldog Drummond stories." When the debate was over, lan Hay modestly disclaimed the authorship of the Bulldog Drummond stories. It was a curious error on the part of an observer so acute as Mrs Forbes.