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W. Earl Hall World War II stories, 1944

1944-09-19 Letter #32

slug-Chats With-4
Passed for Publication
19 Sep 1944
By W. EARL HALL
Globe-Gazette Managing Editor
Letter No. 32
London, England (By U.S. Army Bomber Transit)--Not infrequently, John G. Winant, America's ambassador to the Court of St. James, is compared with Abraham Lincoln as to size and appearance, manner of conversation and his concern for the common man.
As I sat chatting with him for a half hour this afternoon in his great reception office at the embassy not far from my hotel, this comparison kept coming to my mind.  It strikes me as being well based.
We talked about a number of things.  One of them was farming.  I found him possessed of an amazing range of information on this subject, particularly with respect to dairying.
He recalled in the eradication of bovine tuberculosis and expressed concern over the menace to public health prevailing on this island from this direction.  Only in Scotland is the problem being met with earnestness.
The previous day I had enjoyed a meeting with Sir William Beveridge at his home in Oxford, in the lodgings of University college.  Sir William, as the author of the much publicized social security report, is one of Britain's best known fixtures of the hour.
"You'll be interested to know," Mr. Winant told me, "that I was best man for Sir William at his marriage to Lady Beveridge a few years ago.  I count him one of my most stimulating friends."
Both, of course, have a highly developed interest in the field of social reform.
Mr. Winant recalled the bitterly contested race for the New Hampshire governorship between him and Frank Knox, some 20 years ago, and how in their later years, after Mr. Knox entered the cabinet, they became the closest of friends.
We talked too about Henry Wallace and his contribution to agriculture through his research work in hybridization--and about William Allen White, who once was insistent that Mr. Winant become a candidate for the republican presidential nomination.
The ambassador makes no effort to conceal his admiration for the British struggle against heavy odds in this war.  He had praise too for Gen. George Marshall, Gen. Eisenhower and Admiral Stark.
The embassy here is larger and a bit more modern than those I have visited in South America (the one at Rio de Janeiro is an exception), it suffers by comparison with the American embassy in Paris, off the Place de la Concorde.  The latter had not been reoccupied when I was in Paris.
Because of the vastly enlarged demands on the diplomatic service here in London incident to the war, it has been necessary to lease a number of buildings in the immediate vicinity of the embassy.
From a number of Mr. Winant's associates, notably Dorsey Fisher, I've been the beneficiary of numerous kindnesses since my arrival here, a bit more than a month ago.
I'm returning to Iowa with a very high regard for the manner in which America's diplomatic interests are being cared for in what is universally regarded as the most important of our foreign posts.
With a number of other newspaper men, I was privileged one day last week to spend an hour with Brendan Bracken, British minister of information.  Born in Scotland, reared in Australia and an outstanding financial newspaper publisher here in London before being called to the ministry by his close friend, Winston Churchill, he is of the rugged, hard-hitting type.
On an occasion or two--once at the American embassy--I've caught a glimpse of the fabulous Lord Beaverbrook but I haven't yet had the pleasure of an interview with him.
It has been pleasant to renew acquaintance with Carl J. Hambro, of Norway, known to many Mason Cityans, who is here on a hurry-up mission for the Norwegian government in exile.  It's his guess that Norway may not be free of the Nazi invaders much before the first of the year.

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slug-Chats With-4 Passed for Publication 19 Sep 1944 By W. EARL HALL Globe-Gazette Managing Editor Letter No. 32 London, England (By U.S. Army Bomber Transit)--Not infrequently, John G. Winant, America's ambassador to the Court of St. James, is compared with Abraham Lincoln as to size and appearance, manner of conversation and his concern for the common man. As I sat chatting with him for a half hour this afternoon in his great reception office at the embassy not far from my hotel, this comparison kept coming to my mind. It strikes me as being well based. We talked about a number of things. One of them was farming. I found him possessed of an amazing range of information on this subject, particularly with respect to dairying. He recalled in the eradication of bovine tuberculosis and expressed concern over the menace to public health prevailing on this island from this direction. Only in Scotland is the problem being met with earnestness. The previous day I had enjoyed a meeting with Sir William Beveridge at his home in Oxford, in the lodgings of University college. Sir William, as the author of the much publicized social security report, is one of Britain's best known fixtures of the hour. "You'll be interested to know," Mr. Winant told me, "that I was best man for Sir William at his marriage to Lady Beveridge a few years ago. I count him one of my most stimulating friends." Both, of course, have a highly developed interest in the field of social reform. Mr. Winant recalled the bitterly contested race for the New Hampshire governorship between him and Frank Knox, some 20 years ago, and how in their later years, after Mr. Knox entered the cabinet, they became the closest of friends. We talked too about Henry Wallace and his contribution to agriculture through his research work in hybridization--and about William Allen White, who once was insistent that Mr. Winant become a candidate for the republican presidential nomination. The ambassador makes no effort to conceal his admiration for the British struggle against heavy odds in this war. He had praise too for Gen. George Marshall, Gen. Eisenhower and Admiral Stark. The embassy here is larger and a bit more modern than those I have visited in South America (the one at Rio de Janeiro is an exception), it suffers by comparison with the American embassy in Paris, off the Place de la Concorde. The latter had not been reoccupied when I was in Paris. Because of the vastly enlarged demands on the diplomatic service here in London incident to the war, it has been necessary to lease a number of buildings in the immediate vicinity of the embassy. From a number of Mr. Winant's associates, notably Dorsey Fisher, I've been the beneficiary of numerous kindnesses since my arrival here, a bit more than a month ago. I'm returning to Iowa with a very high regard for the manner in which America's diplomatic interests are being cared for in what is universally regarded as the most important of our foreign posts. With a number of other newspaper men, I was privileged one day last week to spend an hour with Brendan Bracken, British minister of information. Born in Scotland, reared in Australia and an outstanding financial newspaper publisher here in London before being called to the ministry by his close friend, Winston Churchill, he is of the rugged, hard-hitting type. On an occasion or two--once at the American embassy--I've caught a glimpse of the fabulous Lord Beaverbrook but I haven't yet had the pleasure of an interview with him. It has been pleasant to renew acquaintance with Carl J. Hambro, of Norway, known to many Mason Cityans, who is here on a hurry-up mission for the Norwegian government in exile. It's his guess that Norway may not be free of the Nazi invaders much before the first of the year.