Belloc’s intimate knowledge of the fronts is extraordinary

TCD MS 11274/62 folio 2 recto

TCD MS 11274/62 folio 2 recto

[28 February [1917]]

On the subject I think he made foolish statements. The Times of the 21st gave me great reading of the Parliamentary debates and but for their horrible habit of ommisions of what is very distasteful would have enjoyed it more still. A number of Liberals seemed to be very “pro-negotiation” and anti-Ll-Geo. And the question of the German Colonies was very strongly attacked without it seems getting any reply but evasive ones from W. Long The whole-hearted “warmen” seem to have got badly mixed up. B. Law never says anything worth-while. Talking of Belloc maybe I do & maybe I dont but his intimate knowledge of the fronts is extraordinary and he approaches the subject as few others <military-wis>e (are there any?) and that is the method in which all staffs approach it. Of course there is never anything deep in his articles but as far as they go they could well be a continuation of the lines of thought upon which the Staffs approach the problems without probably any more intimate knowledge than any painstaking officer could collect. It is probably his manner that people object to, the possibly irritating deliberate dissosciating of himself from all fine writing or romance and his use of hideous military terms such as “head of shell” “effectives” “material” and so forth. As a mild form of intelligence report his articles are admirable altogether