Evening star., 1939-01-05
BY H. G. WELLS.
CHAPTER XVI.
Preliminary Suryev

After the capture Of the Purple
House Rud insisted on a sort of in
genslve study of this world thew
were attacking. His mixture OF
shreWdness and insight with imagi-
native vigor was never more ap-
parent thanjat this time. Chiffan
noted his increasing elasticity. AL
ways Rud had had mental bounce.
out neveS so much as this. He would
pass at a bound from a private
meditation upon his role as the
eliminating Common Man to the
most intense practical activity.
I've got to get into relationship
with people noW," he insisted. with
Gil kinds of influential people. I
ought to do it. We've got to see
what they are made Of. We've got
TO get out of our hole-and-
stage as soon as possible. Marx
was hole-and-corner all his life, and
Lenin had too much of it for his
health. We've got to be different.
we've got to escape from narrow
ness. We're a movement, not a
conspiracy. We've got to radiate
contacts and have as many people
aware OF us as possible. That's liv-
Ing, modern common sense"
In the various personal encounters
N which Rud had made himself
Known to the worldly powers which
might otherwise have impeded the
consolidation of his leadership of
The renascent Popular Socialist Par
W his ."living, modern common
sense" became as flexible and Slip
perry as an eel.
Feels No Scruples.
He saw his loose, large appeal to
common humanity spreading and
catching on. and he felt not the
slightest scruple in talking ambigu-
ously and making vague promises
To divert and pacify any one who
might have been disposed to nip
him in the bud, restrict his pub
licity or rob him of police immunity
before he was established as
worldwide political fact. Sooner or
later a struggle was inevitable, but
the later it came the better for Rud.
Kis instinct was to get all over the
picture first.
In the days Immediately following
the capture of the Purple House he
saw as many people of Importance
rs he could; mostly they were peo-
pie who had hitherto been nothing
to him but news and names and
portraits. They wanted to see him
now after that bright f1are-up Of
publicity, and he wanted to see
them, so 1t was not very difficult to
get together. Opportunities were
made for him, and he had to ask
for very little. Before the nine days
wonder Of the great fight in the
West End faded out he knew he
had to make sure not only of press
but financial support. So he did his
utmost to make sure of both.
1t was an enormously educational
dme for him. He grew years older
in a few weeks. Chiffan watched him
In amazement. Political theorizing
at headquarters gave place abroad
to practical political canvassing of
the most INSCRIPTIONS sort. Bod
isham and the others schemed,
made inquiries, prepared dossiers
Of important people for him. He
went to great pains to make him.
self important yet normal in the
eyes Of all these key people.
Builds Up Effigy of Himself.
He built up an eff1gy of himself
for their benefit. Deliberately and
with great self-restraint, he created
an impression that was only effaced
IN the course of several years. He
persuaded or he showed off or he
seemed to betray his quality, as oc-
oaSion required. He wanted them
TO believe he was the man to cap
ture and sell popular discomfort,
and they did. After the manner
Of the British ruling class they
trusted him as thoroughly un-
trustworthy man.
He let it be assumed that he was
bringing no original ideas whatever
into British political life. That, he
knew, was fundamentally important.
He discussed the internal situation
and foreign affairs, discreetly and
In established phrases. He read
files of the Times for some years
back to catch the tone, he devoured
political memoirs, volumes of COL
1ected letters and speeches. He
was, he admitted, airing perhaps a
few original ideas in what he had
TO say, but his heart, he implied
was in the right place.
He was to be national invigor-
ator, he conveyed. He was to pro-
fess much, do nothing, and leave