1 - Winston Churchill

Despatch Box, continuedFinest Hour #87 discusses theChurchill study by Douglas Chandor,one-third of a triptych which was, unfortunately,never completed. When Iworked in Washington, DC, I visited theNational Portrait Gallery a number oftimes to view the painting, which hungseparately from its Roosevelt companion.In discussion with one of the curators, Iwas surprised (although I shouldn't havebeen) to discover that there were a numberof Churchill portraits in the Gallery,none of which was displayed. There'seven a bust, and I remember rummagingthrough a dusty attic of the Gallery, andthe curator's finding the bust on a shelf,behind other works. It seems a shamethat these items are not out for view bythe public, although I recognize that noteveryone searches for Churchilliana. Perhapsone day a reception/cocktail partycould be held in the magnificent GreatHall of the Gallery, and these items couldall be brought out for view?I'm enjoying the Internet ICS page,and have passed the address on toseveral friends. My congratulations;keep up the good work!Steve_Walker@mmacmail.jccbi.govEditor's Response: What a good ideafor a future meeting in Washington!Thanks for the tip.While many of us despair that WSCmay be neglected and forgotten,occasionally we come across little tidbitswhich give us hope. The December 12thnational edition of the New York Times,page A13, carried a story headlined "GingrichDraws Protestors to a Jewish SeminaryFund-Raiser." The Jewish TheologicalSeminary of America had invited theSpeaker of the House to be their keynotespeaker and were roundly criticized fordoing so. In response, the seminarychairman, Gershon Kekst, was quoted assaying: "He needs to be heard." Thepaper went on: "Besides," Kekst continued,"Winston Churchill once said thatyou should have your friends close butdraw your enemies even closer. To theextent that our friends in the liberal communityregard him as an enemy — and Idon't — I would think that they wouldwant to 'draw him close.'" All of whichgoes to show that Sir Winston's maximswill live for generations and have applicationto all times and in all circumstances.DAN MYERS(d-myers@genie.com)Editor's response: Can any readerprovide attribution for this quote?IE "Churchillians Cycle Latvia" (issue37, page 27), I see that a hot air ballooncontaining tourists was shot downby mistake over Belarus. So it's lucky theEditor & Co. were not ballooningthrough Latvia. I cannot believe the Sovietsbluffed us for so long.ALEX JUSTICE, REDLANDS CA.Editor's Response: A piercingthought... but Latvia is not Belarus!(To the Editor, The Spectator, replying toJohn Charmley's V-E Day article, "WhyAre We Celebrating?" Professor Charmleyis promoting Churchill's Grand Alliance1940-1957, reviewed last issue.)Sir: Professor Charmley says thatChurchill's victory was bought bySoviet domination of part of Europe, theloss of the Empire, his spending, UnitedStates power and a postwar Labour government.Both wars showed that Germanycould be defeated only by spendingmore than the whole gross nationalproduct of Britain on arms alone andwith at least ten million deaths.Churchill's greatness was indefeating Germany at, relatively, nocost to Britain: half a million dead,and debt which has long been paid off.He fought with Soviet manpower andAmerican money. Being British, thissounds a good deal to me.Mr. Attlee and Mr. Nehru mayhave been awful, but they were betterthan Adolf Hitler. Yes, the Polesended up communist for 48 years: terrible,but not the multi-million massacreof Nazism. And haven't theyjust voluntarily put the communistsback in power?Churchill defeated Germany andNazism far more comprehensivelythan the Allies did in 1918—yet over95 percent of those who marchedbehind him stayed alive. Could you dobetter, Professor Charmley?GEORGE STERN, LONDONFINEST HOUR 89/6Shortly before our Boston meetingPresident Clinton entertainedabout twenty decorated veterans ofthe Pacific War at a dinner party. Tomy surprise, I was seated at thePresident's right. There was an explanation:He had read my Churchillbooks and was just reading A WorldLit Only Before Fire. He expressedgreat interest in the ICS and added,"Of course, Winston Churchill willalways live in our hearts."WILLIAM MANCHESTER, FLA.GET WELL, BILL: Just after Boston,William Manchester successfully underwenta quadruple bypass operation. He isrecuperating and, though he may not beable to reply to all, readers might wish tosend him a get-well message: PO Box6117, Longboat Key FL 34228Atip of the hat to Professor Muller forproviding ICS members with a fineintellectual exercise. I, for one, aminclined to think crossword puzzlesshould be a permanent feature, especiallyif Prof. Muller can create them all.[More to come. Ed.]I noted that on page 9 of the sameissue something about an article onWSC's cigars in Cigar Aficionado magazine.I'm a Mormon and don't smoke, butas I read, the thought occurred to methat if I had met WSC in person and heoffered me a cigar, I probably would haveat least been tempted to indulge just thatonce and perhaps repent later. (I....fcigars were good enough for Churchill,perhaps I should at least try one).As I speculated about what I would doin such a situation, I turned the leaf —and lo, there was "Strong Drink Rageth"on page 11. And I loved it! I read it to mywife while she was cooking, and she got agood laugh out of it as well.GARRY WILMORE ^(Member7035@aol.com) ®