Maynard's War Chapter 16
A Chance Encounter
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March 1916
Reasonably pleased with his morning’s work, Keynes decided to reward himself with a lunch time walk in St James’s Park. He had a particularly taxing memorandum to write and needed to clear his head in preparation. He hadn’t anticipated much warmth in the February air, but the sun had done its work so he headed towards his favourite bench. As he approached he noticed it was occupied at one end. This left him with a dilemma. Should he claim the other end, and risk conversation with an interminable bore, or should he choose a different bench, plenty of which were unoccupied in the near vicinity? Might not this gentleman think it strange of him to sit on the same bench given the available options? So what if he did? He strode towards the bench. As he did so, the seated gentleman raised his hat in greeting. “May I join you?” Keynes asked.
“It’d be my pleasure,” the man answered, in an obviously American but otherwise unfamiliar accent.
“Pleasantly mild for the time of year,” Keynes commented as he dusted off his end of the bench and sat down.
“Is that so?” the stranger asked, then, apparently realising he might have sounded abrupt added, “you’ll have to forgive me, I’ve never spent the winter in Europe before.”
“How long have you been here?”
“In London, just a week, but I had some time in Paris before arriving here.”
“And are you here on business?” Keynes enquired.
“Well I guess you could call it that,” the man answered before turning to Keynes and introducing himself. “Edward House, pleased to meet you.”
“Forgive me, Colonel House. I should have put two and two together. Maynard Keynes, Treasury.”
“Should I be worried a Treasury man can’t put two and two together?” House asked, smiling.
“Possibly, but there is a great deal that goes on over there that should give you more cause for concern,” Keynes said, waving in the direction of Whitehall.
“You feel the Government has lost its way?”
“I’m afraid the constituent parts of government are pulling in different directions at a time when the country needs concerted leadership.”
“That’s certainly the impression I’ve been getting. You do know why I’m here?”
“Yes, you’re Wilson’s man in Europe. I presume your job is to report back to Washington on the prospects for a negotiated peace so the President can come over and bang some heads together. How are you getting on?”
“Not very well, frankly. I’m struggling to find anyone who’s prepared to take the idea of a negotiated peace seriously.”
“I’m afraid they are few and far between in government. There are some more sensible Members of Parliament though. I could give you their names.”
“That would be useful, thank you. Do you think the idea has any merit?”
“Merit yes. Whether it has any legs is another matter. Much will depend on whether you can find sympathetic ears on the German side. I presume you’ve put out some feelers?”
“We’ve been communicating through unofficial channels for some time but it’s difficult to know how much authority these people have.”
“If only people understood how government really works. There’s never a neat hierarchy of power, rather competing interests jockeying for position. It’s bad enough here, but in Germany you have the added problem of the Kaiser constantly meddling in politics. At least our monarch generally lets the politicians get on with it.”
“But you wouldn’t argue they’ve made a good fist of the war?”
“Point taken.”
“What about money. How are the Germans managing to pay for the war?” House asked.
“That is a very good question. By now they must be diverting all their resources into the military. There are reports of serious food shortages among the civilian population.”
“That can’t go on forever.”
“You’d think not. But it’s not so different here. As far as Lloyd George is concerned, it’s victory at any cost.”
“So the idea of peace without victory is unlikely to be taken seriously?”
Keynes looked at House. “I’m not sure the world of politics has evolved sufficiently for that to be possible, but I would urge you to encourage President Wilson to bring as much pressure to bear as he can. Without a negotiated settlement, Europe will tear itself apart. I worry about what would happen if the stalemate were broken and one side were to emerge victorious.”
“Why, exactly?”
“Because the consequences for the loser would be unimaginable.”
Keynes was thinking about his chance encounter with the estimable Colonel House as he made his way through Soho’s narrow streets to the bar where he’d arranged to meet Duncan and Bunny. He had made some enquiries about the implementation of the Military Service Act and was anxious to pass on the information; he knew Duncan and Bunny were both keen to find the most expeditious way to avoid conscription and he was ready to help in any way he could. He found them deep in conversation in a corner of the bar and offered to buy them another drink before sitting down. “You two seem in good spirits,” he observed.
“Well,” Duncan said, “life is good, apart from the war of course.”
“I suspect,” Keynes said, that were it not for the war, we’d all still be having the time of our lives.”
“I struggle to remember how things were just two years ago,” Bunny said.
“Everything’s been turned upside down. It’s just ghastly,” Duncan agreed.
“It could be worse,” Keynes said. “You could be over there in France about to get your heads blown off.”
“Maynard, please. I thought you were here to advise us on how to avoid that particular outcome?”
“Yes. I have made some enquiries. Now, as you may know, there are four grounds for being exempted from service. Either you must be doing work of national importance, you must be able to prove that your family would suffer undue hardship, you must be suffering from ill health, or, you must hold a conscientious objection to undertaking combatant service.”
“Well, that’s us, number four,” Duncan said.
“Yes, Duncan. You will need to make a formal appeal to your local tribunal on the basis of your being a conscientious objector.”
“How long does it take?” Bunny asked.
“Not long. The first cases are being heard already. But it isn’t straightforward. The tribunals have been instructed only to grant exemption in exceptional circumstances which means you’ll need to make a good case. Now I can help you with that, but you can also help yourselves by finding some work of national importance to involve yourselves in.”
“I can’t imagine we’re likely to get jobs in the Treasury,” Duncan said.
“Work of national importance doesn’t mean work for the government. The economy is suffering badly because so many men have already volunteered. There’s an acute shortage of labour, especially in rural areas.”
“So we need to become farmers?” Bunny asked.
“If, by the time of your tribunal hearings, you could prove that you were involved in the production of food, that would aid your cases immensely.”
“But where are we going to get jobs on a farm. Really Maynard, can you see me clearing out muck or ploughing fields?”
“Not really Duncan, no. But before you dismiss the idea out of hand, I suggest you consider the alternative.”
“Wait a minute,” Bunny said. “That place in Suffolk you were talking about.” Duncan looked at him blankly. “You know, the orchard you mentioned.”
“Oh yes,” Duncan said. “It’s been empty since my cousin died. Might be worth a try I suppose.”
“Anything to show you’re not shirkers. You have to be able to demonstrate that you’re doing something worthwhile.”
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