Lord Moran And His Critics

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31113, 16 July 1966, Page 4

Lord Moran And His Critics

[Some of the points made by critics of his book, “Churchill; The Struggle For Survival 1940/65," are answered in this letter by Lord Moran to the Editor of “The Times."] Sir—Will you allow me space to deal with some points that have arisen in the correspondence in your columns. My book was written with the knowledge and approval of Sir Winston Churchill. When I told him what was in my mind he said cheerfully: “I am certain I shall like anything you write about me.” He spoke to Brendan Bracken who arranged for me to see Sir Winston’s solicitor about an aspect of the business side of the book. When that is said what is left? I am indebted to those who have been at pains to check my facts, and have been patient with the stress I laid on accuracy.. I explain how the book was written in the preface: “It became my custom, as I drove away from No. 10, or Chequers, or Chartwell, to jot down, sometimes on the back of an envelope. anything of moment that he said. From these rough notes I wrote out the conversations the same night. They are printed as they were recorded at the time. I have not touched them since.” Is it possible to record long conversations accurately? Sir Colin Coote in his memoirs explains how it is done: “I have a photographic memory—for all the years that I had to do a precis of debates in the House of Commons. I never took a note—l could repeat almost verbatim the key passages of the speeches. ... It is just a knack.”

I should say that it is a habit, the firm resolve to discard notes even in a long address. For instance, when I gave the Harveian Oration on “Human Credulity” with long extracts from seven-teenth-century sources I spoke for an hour without notes. It was, too, in the Royal College of Physicians that I delivered for nine years the Presidential Address. It was my duty to commemorate the Fellows who had died in that year. That I could do this, recalling all the relevant dates in their lives, without notes used to excite curiosity. But once the habit is established it is not a difficult | feat , for anyone with al retentive memory. It is easier still to recall converse-! tions since the remarks of One lead, as in drama, to a! rejoinder by the other. Can my book claim that it is a contribution, however modest, to history? First it must pass Dr. Johnson’s test: “The business of the biographer is often to pass slightly over those performances and incidents which produce vulgar greatness, to lead the thoughts into domestic privacies and display the minute details of daily life.” I have tried to do this that the reader might get to know Sir Winston as I knew him, catch the tang of his talk and perhaps follow the turn of his mind. When I realised that I could not thank individually the army of those who have helped me to paint my portrait I had to make a working rule. I made a point of asking permission to print any conversation critical of him, as in the case of Lord Reith, and in my acknowledgements I express the hope that no

critic had been forgotten. But it did not occur to me that anyone could object to his tribute to Sir Winston being retold in my book. It has been said that I ought not to have published my book so soon after Sir Winston’s death, whereas I hold that a controversial book of this nature should appear in the author’s lifetime that he may answer his critics. Perhaps I should add a word in extenuation of the length of the book. It is long because in my search for an accurate portrait I have not disdained the smallest detail, since it is only by these minute particulars, which I Boswell compared to the i filings of diamonds, that Sir' Winston can be shown to be different from other men. 1 Nor have I tampered with what I wrote down at the time. If I had revised the diary entries, omitting what now seems trivial, the book would be shorter. But it would be a different book. “Generosity is always wise,” said my well-loved master. When he went smaller men took his place and sought to speak for him. I am. Sir, your obedient servant, MORAN. The Australian Government’s policy towards scientific research, and particularly the need for more government support of research in universities, are discussed in an article with considerable relevance for New Zealand, in the March-April issue of the Australian journal “Quadrant.” Other contributions of I interest include a discussion | of political groups on the ex- ■ treme right in Australia and ■ jan assessment of changes in strategic thinking in the 1 United States.