[Programme & other ephemera; Anthony Eden annotated speech] The Newspaper Society. Annual Dinner

Author: 
[The Newspaper Society; Anthony Eden speech annotated]
Publication details: 
The Dorchester, 22 April 1952.
£400.00
SKU: 15300

Programme, 4pp., 8vo, comprising Menu and Toast List. Music and Cabaret by Sydney Jerome and his Orchestra. WITH: A. Table Plan, 4pp., 8vo; B. Table "A" Reseating, typescript, 2pp., 4to {Eden listed in printed table plan but not in the Reseating, presumably he didn't show and was replaced at the President's right hand by Lord Woolton]. ALSO WITH: "President's Address at the Annual Dinner", duplicated typescript, 3pp., folio, pencil line through most of the paragraphs [perhaps as delivered?]. He welcomes Eden and suggests that he welcomes the election of Churchill and Eden, explaining that the Newspaper Society is "non-political". He praises Eden to the skies ("most distinguished Foreign Secretary of our time", busy man sparing time, etc.) He says brief words about other guests including William Haley, adds words about the number of newspapers present, relating to foreign affairs (his "1000" is corrected in pencil to "1200"). Criticism of some papers ("responsibilities" and standards); commercialisation of TV and radio (again standards, reference to the recent abuse of media by dictators); vigilance. AND FINALLY: "Speech to be delivered by the Right Honourable Anthony Eden, M.C., M.P., Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs [...]", duplicated typescript, 4pp., folio, significant annotation by Eden himself (quoted below), pencil lines through most paragraphs [perhaps fulfilling an apparent instruction at head of document "Check Against Delivery"] He says flattering words about the antiquity of the Society and its keeping pace with the times (libel a specific issue). There were uncertainties in 1836 (year of establishment) as well as now. "[People" search for something more certain to lay hold of amid the flux of ideas and ideologies that surrounds them." Flexibility needed, as is usually shown by the Commonwealth. He believes theworld is heading towards "a new democratic society of nations although a "world federation" is still not a practical possibility. The Commonwealth bidns nations, as does NATO which Greece and Turkey have just joined, seeds of international democracy. He elaborates on the importance of newspapers in this "struggle for men's minds". He praises the Civil Service, "unfairly" criticised for 'obstructing our policy in regard to Europe. He, as Foreign Secretary, takes full responsibility. The next "task" "is to prepare our reply to the latest Soviet note" which will not include being diverted from "European unification", inc. German ambitions ambitions, etc. He touches on the difficulties in other parts of the world [significant annotation by Eden in margin at this point]. He adds more wors about his host and the newspapers of the provincial cities. Note: At the point noted above, Eden crosses out the second half of the rather esoteric and allusive "Every morning I look through a number of the papers, like a votary consulting the Delphic Oracle", adding in pencil in the margin, "searching for guidance as hopefully as my harassed predecessors in Ancient World consulted Delphic Oracle". There is furthe substantial annotation in shorthand, perhaps by someone who was to report the speech. Note: I've been unable to confirm whether Eden attended this Dinner. The revised seating plan would suggest not.