The Heir

Never had Anthony Eden seemed more quietly confident or the Tory faithful more pleased with him. In Blackpool's Empress ballroom, 4,100 delegates to the annual Tory Party conference gave him a two-minute ovation and burst into For He's a Jolly Good Fellow. Even dapper Julian Amery, who last year led the diehard imperialists in an attack on Eden's decision to evacuate Suez, had only praise for Eden's achievements at the London Conference: "Far from renouncing our imperial mission, this gives us the chance to lead the world once more."

But despite the cheers there was an underlying tension. Nearly all those assembled at Blackpool and. according to a new Gallup poll, nearly half of all Tory voters, feel that Winston Churchill should retire. In the months before the conference, Sir Winston twice set a date for retirement, twice put it off. Two weeks ago, he suggested that Eden should leave the Foreign Office and become Deputy Prime Minister, where he could acquaint himself with domestic problems. As an inducement, he even offered Eden the use of Chequers, the Prime Minister's country residence (which Churchill has never liked as much as his own home, Chartwell). Eden resisted, feeling that as Deputy P.M. he would have much of the dirty work, little glory and no real power.

But when Sir Winston lumbered on the stage on Blackpool's closing day, the delegates gave the grand old man an ovation which brought happy tears to his eyes. Eden warmly introduced him: "Throughout the world, you are today acknowledged as the greatest man upon this earth."

The amazing old man of 79 spoke slowly, and his lisp was more pronounced. But the wit was as nimble as ever, and the orotund prose as incomparable. In a sly reference to his reputation as a brandy drinker, he called for a glass of water and downed it, remarking with a twinkle: "I only do it to show you that I can." Churchill hailed Eden's achievement at London as "a monument and a milestone in our march toward peaceful coexistence," paid generous tribute to the U.S. (see JUDGMENTS & PROPHECIES), spoke again, wistfully, of his dream of coexistence with a kindlier Russia.

Last of all, Sir Winston spoke of his long friendship with Anthony Eden. "Thank God he has completely recovered," he said, and the audience roared agreement. He went on: "We have worked together in and out of office for 16 or 17 years. It is astonishing how we are agreed on so many great problems. There is quite enough for both of us to do at the present time, and we shall settle our affairs between ourselves, governed only by what seems best for the public good and in the interests of our party."

In other words, Churchill was not retiring just yet, still intended to hold on for a while, and Eden, stronger politically and physically than he had been for a long time, would just have to be patient. Tories had made clear that they would be proud and willing to have Eden as their leader and Prime Minister whenever Sir Winston was ready.

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