Grand Days

by Frank Moorhouse

  If she had been Secretary-General, though, she would have acted differently from Sir Eric. She would have checked on the real support for the petition. The other sections worked all hours and so would she.

  They moved on to Germany’s admission to the League and to a place on the League Council.

  Sir Eric began by stressing the highly confidential nature of what he was about to say about Germany’s entry. He started by stating that at last Germany would be admitted to the League and to a seat on the Council.

  ‘There has been much private discussion about enlarging the Council,’ Sir Eric said seriously. ‘Brazil also wishes to be changed from a temporary member to a permanent member of Council to represent the Americas at the same time that Germany is given her seat. Brazil at present has a veto, and there was talk that she’d use it against Germany if she does not get a permanent seat as well as Germany. She’s also talking of withdrawal from the League, becoming the first nation to do so since the League was set up. Our first serious loss, our first defeat.’

  Someone said, ‘Costa Rica.’ Sir Eric said, ‘Yes, there was Costa Rica.’

  Edith exchanged glances with Ambrose. She again admired him. He had been the first to point out to her that Brazil would be uppity. Costa Rica wasn’t important. It had found that it couldn’t afford membership of the League. She thought too of the Argentine which hadn’t pulled out but was sulking and wouldn’t come to Assembly meetings.

  Sir Eric went on to explain. ‘However, everything has been ironed out. In Berlin, I talked with Herr Stresemann.’ Sir Eric paused for effect. ‘The problem had been that Germany wants to be admitted on its own, as an equal to the great powers and without any diminution of status, which she thinks would happen if she were admitted at the same time as a lesser power such as Brazil or Poland.’

  He said that, consequently, there was loose speculative talk of enlarging the Council, if necessary, to permit everything to happen. To make Germany a permanent member and to create a new class of member — a ‘semi-permanent’ Council member — to allow seats to Spain, Brazil, and Poland. ‘However, it won’t come to that. Germany will go straight in.’

  Ambrose said, in an aside to the meeting, that semi-permanent could be likened to the semi-virgin. There was general laughter.

  ‘Quite so,’ Sir Eric said, without looking up from his notes, as if he had heard that joke before. When he did look up, Sir Eric avoided her eyes or Dame Rachel’s eyes, fearing, she supposed, that he’d permitted a joke which might be seen as blue.

  As a connoisseur of conversation, especially the conversation of men, Edith thought that the point of Sir Eric’s remarks were that he’d had private conversations with Herr Stresemann in Berlin and that this was a sign that Sir Eric was on equal footings with the powers of Europe, albeit Germany was a crippled power.

  Ambrose carried the joke a little further, saying that the Spanish delegate had said that it was a pity that Adam had not considered the apple a semi-apple and thereby, Ambrose said, clearing his throat, ‘committing only a semi-sin’.

  Sir Eric frowned and moved his papers to show that he was continuing with important business, that Ambrose had maybe over-stretched the levity. Of course, being Catholic, Sir Eric was known not to encourage jokes with a theological flavour.

  Under Secretary Bartou said that the protocol of seating had to be considered. Should the German delegates be seated last, given that, by date of entry to the League, Germany would be the lowest on the protocol list of precedence?

  ‘Ah, but which list are you using?’ Sir Eric asked. Sir Eric said that because diplomatic precedent among envoys of the same rank was established by date of appointment, he questioned whether it might be best to treat Germany and the other permanent Council members — and this was only an idea — as of a senior diplomatic rank to the other types of membership, and therefore Germany could be seated before the lesser nations.

  Comert said that it was important that it should not appear that any radical change in the sitting order of the Council had been introduced simply to save the amour propre of Germany. ‘It would,’ he said turning to some of the anti-German faction, ‘inflate the importance of Germany’s entry.’

  There were smiles of agreement at this. She realised that some felt that Germany ‘had not changed’. Ambrose had told her that some of the officers, including himself, were uneasy about the arrival of Germans into the Secretariat after its admission. Secretariat positions had been promised.

  Sir Eric said that seating arrangements and protocol were the prerogative of the Council.

  They were all looking to the next item on the agenda when Sir Eric, after a canny pause, went on, ‘However.’ Everyone looked up. He then said, with a verbal wink in his voice, and looking straight at her, ‘Maybe the appropriate people could see that a horseshoe table is purchased for Council before the admission meeting?’

  Smiles crossed the faces of those there who seemed to see in the words of Sir Eric something which Edith did not see, although it was certainly her section which would do the purchasing.

  Edith was uncertain about the political implications of the horseshoe table. She could see that it was considered a great move and that it restored good humour to the Directors’ meeting.

  Sir Eric said that the Council would then not have to worry itself about the seating arrangement. At present the Council sat in a row with the permanent members sitting to the right and left of the President in descending order of seniority which would place Germany at the bottom of the table but a horseshoe table would give no clear indication of precedent without diminishing the status of the Presidency which a round table might.

  Mantoux from Political said that the documents in original German would be circulated along with translations.

  Colban from Translations protested. No German language documents had ever been included in League documents before.

  Under Secretary Bartou also opposed this. He said that to reproduce the German text would encourage other countries to communicate in their own language and expect the League to circulate documents in that language, breaching not only the agreed practice of the League but creating administrative headaches in the translation department. He felt it best to stay with French and English.

  Edith would have ruled that way too, because although she was for Germany’s entry she was dead against too many concessions to the Germans. Maybe Ambrose’s influence.

  Sir Eric said that the German documents circulated should be in French and English but a note included with them saying that the documents were available in their original language in the archives of the Secretariat for anyone who wanted to read them in German.

  Edith liked Sir Eric’s ability to find a third way.

  ‘Finally, Mantoux, I want it to be known by the admission sub-committee — by a quiet word in the appropriate ears — that when Germany comes before the sub-committee formally for the admission, that Germany must not be expected to say anything on the question of her war guilt. If war guilt comes up she will withdraw.’

  More grunts of both irritation at Germany’s sensitivity and of understanding of the politics of the situation.

  Dufour-Feronce from Intellectual Cooperation reported that he had been in Prague for the Esperanto Congress and that it had been a thoroughly lively affair.

  ‘Congress?’ Ambrose interposed. ‘Not conference?’

  ‘They called it a congress,’ Dufour-Feronce said shortly. ‘At the congress, encouraging evidence of the spread — ’

  ‘A conference, I should think,’ Ambrose broke in again. ‘There are yet, surely, no sovereign heads of Esperanto states.’ Ambrose said this poker-faced. ‘Or have I missed some recent political changes in the map of Europe?’ The meeting laughed.

  ‘They called it a congress, Westwood. I simply use their description,’ Dufour-Feronce said, miffed by this diplomatic correction and by Ambrose’s frivolous treatment of Esperanto.

  Edith bit back an urge to correct Amb
rose’s correction of Dufour-Feronce and state that Satow, the expert on diplomatic usage, did not think that there was any longer a difference between a congress and a conference. It would be a Thing For Her To Say. She was torn with the urge to speak. But it was not to the point. It would make her sound like a know-all. She shut up. She would tease Ambrose later.

  Dufour-Feronce went on with his dreary report. ‘The French and German delegates fraternised completely — all conversing in Esperanto. I am not a complete convert but the movement is gaining ground. They are looking at the possibility that Esperanto might replace Latin for use in technical terminology.’

  Ponderously, he turned to Sir Eric and said, ‘I would like, if I may, Sir Eric, to make a personal statement to this Directors’ meeting?’ Sir Eric nodded assent. ‘It was reported in the press that I made an opening speech and declared that the League would shortly take to using Esperanto. This is, of course, not true and I was not reported correctly. I want that to be recorded.’

  Edith again groaned inwardly at all the efforts which needed to be made to correct all the wrong things which appeared in the newspapers about the League. They had to realise that corrections were futile.

  He said it was appreciated by the Esperanto people that the League had a representative at the ‘congress’. He went on, ‘I suspect that Monsieur Benes or Monsieur Lafontaine might raise the question of the League’s use of Esperanto at the next Assembly.’

  Edith still hadn’t spoken. She had nothing new to say about Esperanto. If there was to be an international auxiliary language, she supposed it might as well be one that already existed, that had some culture behind it. If everyone was to bother learning another language, why not a real one? The subject bored her.

  Lloyd, from the Building Committee, said he was in a quandary because the tenders for new furniture showed that a Swiss company and an Austrian company had bid identically. ‘Identical quotes exactly. I have never seen it before.’

  Edith found herself a little breathless. Coming from a business family, she knew exactly what to do. She waited to see if Sir Eric would speak but he too, seemed to be unable to come up with an answer.

  He simply said, ‘Extraordinary,’ and the meeting sat stalled.

  In a voice which was nervously uneven, she asked if she might offer a solution.

  The men turned to her. Ambrose raised an eyebrow of encouragement.

  ‘Of course,’ Sir Eric said, surprised. ‘Go ahead, Berry.’

  Her voice came out a little breathlessly and she deepened it and tried to speak slowly. ‘Identical tenders are always to the buyer’s advantage,’ she said, ‘that is the first thing to realise.’

  She heard Dame Rachel whisper, ‘Take it slowly.’

  She made herself pause, although her breathing was broken. She counted to five. ‘We should now go to the two companies which have given identical bids and explain to them the situation.’

  She paused for the count of three. ‘We then ask the two companies to re-tender.’

  Pause, Edith, pause.

  ‘Well, thank you, Berry, for your solution.’

  Edith wasn’t finished. She’d paused too long. ‘I’m sorry, Sir Eric, that was not the end of my submission — there’s more.’

  ‘My apologies. Go ahead. Fire away.’

  ‘Naturally we suggest to both companies that they re-tender at a lower price.’

  Pause. They were looking at her with interest. Ambrose mimed a silent clap.

  ‘They will both drop their bids — and we get an even lower price. That is how identical bids are always to the buyer’s advantage.’

  ‘What if they come in at the same price again?’ Lloyd asked. He seemed put out by being told how to do his job by a newcomer and a woman.

  Edith consciously spoke not to Lloyd but to Sir Eric. ‘In the highly unlikely situation described by Lloyd, Sir Eric, you divide the order between the two companies.’

  ‘Well done!’ Sir Eric said. ‘We need some business acumen in the League.’

  Dame Rachel touched her arm and said, ‘Well done, Berry.’

  She didn’t suggest that you could always ask the two lowest tenderers to re-tender on the pretext that they were identical. That would be unethical for the League but back home she knew people who had done it — however, she believed fiercely in the tender system as the bedrock of scrupulous administration. She was pleased with herself but wished that her contribution had been on something more diplomatic or political. She did not want to be known as some sort of horse-trader and she didn’t want to end up buying furniture.

  ‘Ingenious,’ Under Secretary Bartou said.

  Sir Eric said, ‘Lloyd, will you see to that — following Berry’s suggestion?’

  Lloyd wrote something down in his notebook, far from happy.

  Comert said that for 2,000 Swiss francs lighting arrangements could be made for the taking of cinema films at the next Assembly. Should the League admit cinema companies free or charge a fee?

  Edith tested herself on this. If you charge, you are then under an obligation to the motion picture companies to provide all sorts of things. They will ask for more of this and more of that. You opened yourself to pestering but, anyhow, collecting fees for attendance at Assembly was petty. Cinema film was, after all, a new way of spreading the word about the League.

  Sir Eric made the ruling that it was essential that the Secretariat not be under any obligation to the cinematographic firms which would be the case if the fee was charged. Comert must retain control of the situation. ‘When cinema films are taken, and for how long, must be your decision, Comert.’ Sir Eric added that if the cameras or whatever else they used were too noisy, they would have to go.

  Edith felt pleased that she and Sir Eric had arrived at the same decision.

  Under Secretary Professor Attolico of Transit informed the meeting that the President of the Association of Journalists at the League had displayed in the pressroom a copy of a letter which he had sent to Lord Cecil. The letter complimented Lord Cecil on his insistence that committee meetings be held in public. However, the letter, by supporting Lord Cecil, reflected unfavourably on the contrary attitude taken by Signor Scialoja, who had argued that the meetings be closed to the public. The letter, also, as it turned out, misrepresented the attitude of Signor Schialoja. The displaying of the letter placed him, Professor Attolico, in the position of having publicly supported one delegate against another.

  Sir Eric said he was against political use of the noticeboard of the pressroom.

  Comert said that notices of meetings and so on were posted on the pressroom noticeboard by journalists. He agreed that the room should not be used politically but thought any official reprimand about this would be the wrong approach. The journalists had to feel they weren’t being supervised.

  Sir Eric half-heartedly agreed. ‘Before we move on, there is another thing which worries me,’ Sir Eric said, tentatively, ‘and I will be advised by you all on this — I was walking by the pressroom and glanced in. They seem to have taken to posting up caricatures of delegates and of the Secretariat. Comert, might not something be done to stop this? For these caricatures to be displayed takes away from the dignity of the League. In my opinion, that is.’

  Comert thought that he should handle that informally, too.

  Surreptitious glances of amusement were exchanged. Edith felt she should avoid them, being a newcomer and susceptible to giggling. Everyone had seen Emery Kelen’s caricature of Sir Eric in the pressroom and anyhow, everyone, well, nearly everyone, did impersonations of Sir Eric.

  ‘As you think best,’ said Sir Eric; obviously, he would have liked a stronger stand.

  Had she been Secretary-General, Edith did not know quite how she would have handled that. She would have been as sensitive as Sir Eric but she would not have raised it at a Directors’ meeting — that gave further fuel to the joking. She would have handled it privately somehow. She wanted Sir Eric to be bigger than that. She looked at him curi
ously because of his raising it. It showed excessive self-pride. Or vulnerability. Or perhaps these things could be found together.

  Major Buxton presented a short dissertation on the amount of reading that committee members had to do. He said, ‘We in the Secretariat should be the world experts at presenting material so that people can take it in quickly.’

  Everyone liked Major Buxton. He was the social centre of their lives and also ran a pack of hounds, much to the annoyance of the Geneva police.

  ‘To show what happens, I have attached a copy of each of the documents so far circulated for one meeting of a single subcommittee. The meeting’s not till March 19 and there are already about 350 pages of Roneo and 170 pages of print. Documents are still coming in. How can a member of committee cope?

  ‘My proposals are for a new form of agenda which I’ve designed with short notes on each item. The Secretariat or the rapporteur should also issue summaries of information saying that the original longer documents can be called up if needed.’ The meeting accepted Major Buxton’s suggestions.

  The next item on the agenda was Emergency Procedures. This was Ambrose’s big moment at the meeting. Edith and Ambrose had discussed it endlessly over the last month.

  Ambrose spoke about the need for the Secretariat to take precautions at least equal to those taken by a Foreign Office, or War Office, to ensure that important communications reached the proper League officials with the least delay at whatever hour they arrived. He reminded the meeting of an incident where a telegram had sat in the Palais over the week-end, unopened.

  ‘If we can be expeditious about the matters of war, surely we can be equally expeditious about matters of peace.’ Ambrose had practised that line on her a couple of times and he delivered it well.

  There were hear, hears.

  Ambrose said that Agence Télégraphique Suisse now telephoned through to the League any important news received by them by wireless.

  ‘We have also arranged that if a member of the League sends an emergency communication it is to be marked Priorité Nations and governments and foreign offices have been informed that they should mark their cables thus.’