"QUEEN OF THE AIR"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 117, 19 September 1941, Page 44

"QUEEN OF THE AIR"

IONS of London’s midsummer social season this year have not been belted earls, but simple U.S, journalists. Publisher George Backer, of the New York Post, Editor Herbert Agar, of the Louisville Courier-Jour-nal, and the wellknown broadcaster, Raymond Gram Swing have dined, wined, interviewed, been interviewed, orated, been subjects of oratory. But all their receptions paled when Columnist Dorothy Thompson stepped off a ’plane at Bristol, states a recent issue of "Time."

Sought by Duchesses, acclaimed as "Queen of the Air’ by the London Daily Herald’s veteran columnist, Hannen Swaffer, Miss Thompson had to install three stenographers and two male social secretaries in her suite at the Savoy to answer mail and arrange engagements. So ‘busy was she that Lady ‘Reading, relict of the late great jurist,

-_-- — eo | was unable to make a date to see her, Later, Lady Reading pointedly absented herself from a reception in Miss Thonwson’s honour. In the first half of her two weeks’ stay she (1), addressed the nation over the BBC; (2), spoke in the House of Commons in person; (3), ate meals with Winston Churchill, Lady Astor, Ernest Bevin, Harry Hopkins, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Brendan Bracken (new Minister of Information), several other members of the British Cabinet; (4), shook hande urith cama

12001 leading Britons at a reception in her honour at the Savoy; (5), went to the movies with Anthony Eden to see a special showing of a new film about the R.A.F., Target for To-night; (6), interviewed a score of notables, from Czechoslovakia’s Eduard Benes to Zionist Chaim Weizmann; (7), spoke at a fireman’s dance in a London suburb.