Foreign & General
1. Purge of Sudeten leaders taking place, evidently as result of Czech pressure & as a prelude to milder methods. Sunday Times [a]
2. Polish gov.t evidently now ready to allow Russians to use Polish air bases. Sunday Times [b]
3. S. Express considers Franco has definitely come down on the side of the Axis, but hints that French & Swiss banks who have hitherto lent him £5 m. are putting pressure on him by withholding further loans. [c]
Social
1. Evidently there has been trouble about food in the militia. Number of first draft who declared themselves conscientious objectors stated at 2%. Sunday Times [d]
2. Earnings throughout life from cabinet posts etc. of various politicians estimated by Peter Howard thus: Runciman £71, Lloyd George £94, Baldwin £70, Hoare £79, Simon £78, Churchill £92 (all in thousands). Sunday Express [e]
Party Politics
1. Peter Howard considers Sir A. Wilson is becoming unpopular in Hitchin Div.n owing to pro-German sentiments.[1] Sunday Express [e]
[1] “Herts Pictorial” (15.8.39) repeats this without comment. [Orwell’s note]
2. Mosley’s Earls Court Stadium meeting said to have been attended by 25, 000. M. said to have lost some of his East End working-class support but gained following among small business men etc. Left Forum, August
3. “The Link” said to be actively pro-Nazi & also recommended by P.P.U. Left Forum, August
4. Evidently the French spy scandals are being officially hushed up to some extent. La Rocque asks Daladier to pass decree – law making receipt of foreign money for other than commercial purposes a criminal offence. Observer [f]
5. Sunday Express prints friendly article about Japan (gossip article). Sunday Express [g]
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This politicians look terribly underpaid to me. How could they live? I hope they have an expenses system they can fiddle to make up their wretched pay packets.
Max
Love the bathing article.