CHURCHILL & EDEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1941, Page 3

CHURCHILL & EDEN

PART IN THE MIDDLE EAST. STORY ABOUT WESTERN DESERT. The father of Mr Anthony Eden was a vigorous, passionate man, a hard rider. One day his horse broke down, states a writer in a South African paper. His violent exclamations could be heard a quarter of a mile away. The grass, they say, never grew again in that spot. By contrast his son, once hot-head-ed, is today cool, self-disciplined, a shrewd diplomat. Out in the parched desert where things never grow he has made British prestige sprout: prolificly. The British Foreign Secretary, handsome, well-dressed, tall and elegant (irreverently called “Lord Eyelash” at Geneva) has made a special study of the Middle East. At Oxford he studied Persian and Arabic and won first-class honours in Oriental languages. He once played an important part in settling a YugoslavHungarian argument. His youthful career —he is 43 —has been conspicuous for a firm line against the grasping dictators. Early in this war, when other Ministers urged caution, he was a staunch advocate of a fierce offensive. He begged earnestly for action, in the Mediterranean. Some say that chief credit for the Western Desert belongs to Britain’s “Beau Brummel.” The truth about the Western Desert, according to English sources, is that Mr Churchill himself planned the attack after consulting Mr Eden, Sir John Dill, and others. When British troops in Egypt were outnumbered by 6 to 1 there was a suggestion of withdrawal from the Nile. Mr Churchill point-blank refused. Straight away he poured men and materials into Egypt. Then came the early Greek setbacks. Mr Churchill remained adamant. To General Wavell he sent the message: “Proceed as arranged.” And you will remember his promise just before the attack began: “The Government will take responsibility, whatever the upshot of the'operation.” These words reflected the attitude «pf Mr Eden, if they were not inspired by him.