June 1, 2015

Finest Hour 108, Autumn 2000

Page 28

LUCE LUCID ON LEONARD

In an article entitled “10 Friends,” Forbes FYI (supplement to the regular Forbes magazine), Autumn 2000, William E Buckley, Jr. profiles Clare Boothe Luce, relating a story that Mrs. Luce apparently told him. -Scott Mantsch

“She interwove, with her instructions on how to paint, recollections of her experience with canvas and oils. Just after the war she went with her husband to England and spent the weekend with Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill at Chartwell. ‘I tried to be especially ingratiating because Harry [Luce] wanted U.S. rights for Life magazine of Churchill’s war memoirs. So passing through one gallery I said, “These are wonderful paintings.” He said, “I’m glad you like them, but only one of them is painted by me.”‘

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“She flashed her sly, infectious smile, and then a little snort of laughter. ‘I thought, Oh dear, that makes me sound very sycophantic. I asked which one was his, and he pointed to a pastoral scene, a field of some sort. I thought I’d better do something to establish my critical independence. I said I liked it but I thought it was too—placid, lacking in movement. Three weeks later in New York the same painting arrived, but on it were three sheep bouncing about. His note read, ‘Is that any better?’ Harry told me later that my effrontery probably ended up costing Time Inc. $ 1 million more than they’d have had to pay for his memoirs.”

THE SHORT-SNORTERS

Mark Weber, Tucson, Arizona, advises that Churchill was a Short-Snorter according to Michael Daunt OBE, a test pilot for the early Gloucester jet aircraft in 1942-43. On 19 April 1943 a demo of the plane was laid on for Churchill.

Daunt states: “Not very many pilots had then flown the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans; those that had started up the Short-Snorter Club. Each member carried a dollar bill on which was written his name and the fact that he was a Short-Snorter. If it so happened that one or two members were gathered together and one failed to produce his bill, he then had to buy drinks for all present. Short-Snorters meeting for the first time would not only challenge, but also sign each others’ dollar bill.” On this flight, Daunt taxied back to where Churchill was standing and was introduced to him. Having heard that WSC was an Honorary Member of the Short-Snorters Club, he asked if the PM had his dollar bill, and would he honour him with a signature? Churchill produced his bill and they exchanged signatures.

Mark has found Daunt’s $ 1 Canadian bill with Daunt’s name and “Short Snorter April 14. 1943.” There are at least nineteen signatures on the bill, including “W S Churchill.”

Mark reminds us of a similar honor, the Loyal Order of the Winkle, of which Churchill was also a member, having received his winkle in Hastings, a scene pictured in Finest Hour awhile back (perhaps someone will remind us where). Churchill was obliged always to carry his winkle. If another member was to command, “Winkle Up,” any member unable to produce his winkle had to buy drinks for the assembly. The Duke of Edinburgh was among the club’s distinguished members. It is not on record that Churchill was ever called upon to “Winkle Up,” but if he were he would surely fail, since he rarely bothered to carry change in his pocket….

Which suggests as ephemeral the lovely story about Lloyd George outside the Chamber of the House of Commons, accosting the passing Churchill at one of the newly installed pay-telephones: “Winston, can you loan me sixpence so I can ring a friend?” Churchill (after a lengthy display of fishing in his pockets): “Here, David, is a shilling —now you can ring all your friends.”

DEFINITELY AW OUR MAN

At a shop in Woodstock, Oxford, Churchill Center treasurer Craig Horn had the good taste to pass up this postcard, c.l 914 and captioned “Young Winston. Our First Lord.” The editor, clearly with no taste or propriety at all, paid £5 for it, sent a copy to Lady Soames, and stood back. Her reply: “I am sorry you wasted £5 on that totally un-lookalike picture supposedly of my father in infancy— revolting little child not remotely alike, and dressed all wrong for the period! I am ashamed of you!” The editor protested that he bought the card as a public service to remove it from the market. Lady Soames was not impressed. Barnum was right: there’s a sucker born every minute.