Evening star., 1938-12-25
BY H. G.. WELLS.
CHAPTER XVI.
Eve of Battle.

S1AF Ell AVl.
Eve of Battle.
The talks in the Steenhold fiat
had benefited Considerably by the
accession of Chiffan. He had re-
turned rejoicing to London, having
got a Job as printer editor of a
small suburban newspaper. and he
brought with him much precise in
formation about the gathering un-
rest in the north. They despise
and hate the government more and
more, but they don't know how to
set about changing it. The country
Is dying for some sort of lead. and
so far all 1t is getting is crowd of
fresh professional leaders who never
get anywhere, who do not seem to
be aiming anywhere. We are living
In world of jaded politics. Pow
erty increases. prices rise, unem-
ployment spreads, mines, factories
stagnate, and nothing is done"
At first Chiffan was wary and a
little jealous of Rud's Popular So
cialist friends, and also, quite mad
vertently, he developed an earnest
and sympathetic friendship with a
friZzy- haired, amber-eyed young
woman who had been regarding Rud
very earnestly for some weeks. tThey
began by talking about Rud. his
gifts, his character, his possibilities.
and their devotion to him brought
them closer and closer together, and
at last so close that Rud became a
benediction over their liaison. Chit
fan made a sort of party sacrament
of it, but for all that he was rather
ashamed of himself. The relation
ship excited and occupied him for a
week or so, and then it bored him,
and when Rogers smote his knees
and said b NJ. g." he lit up and
became fount of shreWd sugges-
tions)
"B. M. G. Great" said Chiffan.
"B. NJ. G. Great Ideal" said
steenhold.
Not So Sure of B. NJ. G.
II am not so sure of B. M. CT
said Rud, nursing his knee in his
corner. Il agree that the Popular
Socialist organization has to be
given new start and a new pro-
gram-its what I've been saying all
along-and as things are it is prob
ably the only organization in the
country on which you could base a
real efficiency campaign outside the
party machines. There it is. 1t is
the only quasi-voluntary organi-
cation just now that could take
liberties and not be suppressed at
once. The left organizations now,
if ii came to scrap, could be shut
up in week. It's the Popular So
cialists for us or nothing. But why
shouldn't one keep Bohun as the
nominal head and work through
him?"
you don't know him yet" said
Bodisham.
I've got to see him. We join up
tomorrow, Chiffan and I. I told
you. When I see him I shall know
better about him. What is there
impossible about him?'
Wait till you see him. said Irwell
HE has personal contacts with the
west end and the city"
Had said Bodisham.
THE sort of immunity this party
has had-it certainly has had an
immunity-may vanish if we chuck
out Bohun."
That depends on the opinion the
aIlthnrjtjoc nf - cold pnli-
sham.
There are three reasons why
B. M. g." said Chiffan, so far as
understand the situation. Firstly
he will never let any sort of initia-
tive exist in the party except his
own, so long as he remains the
leader. And he has no initiative of
his own. Secondly, the only way
the public can be made to realize
that the Popular Socialist party is
now going to mean something else, is
by not simply making Bohun go
but by chucking him. And thirdly
we have to publicize Rud. That is
the most important. We have to
stage a first-class row so that Rud s
restatement of our ideas will be on
the front page. We've got to put
him there and keep him there. What
do you think, Bodisham?'
Couldn't be sounder," said Bodi-
sham.
Must Take Action.
I'D like to hear more suggestions,
said Rud. We've talked tonight
We've talked before. We can't al
ways be talking. Now if this Real
Ginger Group of yours is to 60 be-
yond talking it has to define itself
much more plainly than it has done
We must know what we really mean
to do and we must have some ideas
OF the roles we have to play. 1t is
no good, for example, for Rogers to
yield to his burning desire to 20
right out now and hit somebody
unless the group is prepared for the
situation that will arise out of the
hitting. If I am any sort OF
leader"
But you are!"
Then the first thing is that moth
ing must be done until the word go
nothing. For 10 days or so at least
we have got to meet here and draw
up almost detailed particulars OF
what we mean to do. We have to