Dry (with a capital). Therefore
do not undertake to oppose anything: stand for what you propose to
advocate, whether as to property or drink or anything else, but don't
state your solutions as antitheses.

By the way, don't propose equal distribution of land. It is like
equal distribution of metal, rough on those who get the lead and
rather too jolly for those who get the gold. Your equal distribution
must come to equal distribution of the national income in terms of
money.

The L500 a year is absurd. Do you realize that it is L250 at
pre-war rates, and subject to heavy taxation: net L375--pre-war
182-10-0? You have sold yourself into slavery for ten years for
L3-10-2 a week. Are you quite mad? Make it at least L1500, plus
payment for copy.

Ever

G.B.S.

Of course it was not merely a question of inadequate payment for his
work: as time went on, a large part of the financial burden of the
paper had to be carried by him. Lord Howard de Walden helped
generously and so did Mr. Chivers. Other donations came in but mostly
very small ones. No proper accounts were kept: no watch on how the
money went. And from time to time Gilbert would pay off a printing
bill of L500 or so and go ahead hoping for better times. The money
aspect did not worry him, I think, at first. There was always more to
be made by a little extra effort: though a time was to come when
every extra effort wearied him cruelly. But there was one thing he
could not bear--quarrels on the Board or on the staff and above all
the suggestion that he should adjudicate.

"He was a bad judge of men," one of his staff told me. "He never
shirked an intellectual issue, but in a practical crisis he was
inclined to slide out."

"He could never," said another, "stand up to accusations from one man
against another."

The first start was made with the existing staff of three. Miss
Dunham was sub-editor and was usually left to see the paper through
the press. G.K. would come up once or twice a week and dictate his
own articles.

"You never knew when he was coming," she says, "but you always knew
when he was there by the smell of his cigar." He was practically a
chain smoker and he always used the same brand. He left drawings on
the blotter and everything else. He had no idea of time and when he
said, "I think I'll go out now," he might stay out an hour or so, or
he might not return at all. Lighting a cigar or cigarette he