"The Genuine Truth"

Sir Patrick Dollan is a stern, old-fashioned Socialist and onetime conscientious objector who has presided since 1938 over Glasgow as Lord Provost (mayor) of Britain's most radical city. In a career of laird-baiting he has come to consider himself an expert on such families as that of the young Duke of Hamilton, on whose estate Rudolf Hess landed unexpectedly last month. Sir Pat claimed last week to have the lowdown on the Hess case. The "genuine truth," as he revealed it to a War Weapons Week audience in Fifeshire:

"Hess came here still an unrepentant Nazi, still a loyal supporter of the Fuehrer, still a devoted member of the gang that plotted the war against Poland and other countries.

"He came in the belief that he could remain in Scotland two days, discuss his peace proposals with a certain group, and be given a supply of petrol and maps to enable him to return to Germany and tell them the results of his conversations. I understand that he is quite annoyed at being kept prisoner."

In Parliament Winston Churchill refused once again to make a statement, merely observed: "The British Government has, of course, kept the United States informed on the subject."

Britons still debated the truth about the Duke of Hamilton and his friends--in Glasgow so violently that dramshop dialecticians often came to blows. The Duke started libel action against London Communists for saying he had plotted with Hess. Communist Harry Pollitt retorted that he would call Rudolf Hess as a witness.

London contributed a light story of the Duke and Winston Churchill. After Hess landed, the story ran, the Duke anxiously sought audience with the Prime Minister, was at length permitted to ride with him on the two-minute drive to Buckingham Palace, where Mr. Churchill had to see the King. The anxious young Duke went straight to the point: "Mr. Prime Minister, as my name has been associated with Rudolf Hess, I feel it is only right for me to resign my position as Lord Steward of His Majesty's Household." Churchill: "Come now, my boy, we can't have you do that."

Last week the Duke of Hamilton was promoted from Wing Commander to Group Captain in the R.A.F.

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