Dark Palace

by Frank Moorhouse

  Jacklin*, S., South African, Financial, Treasurer of the League, appointed an Under Secretary-General. One of the League delegation to the 1945 UN foundation conference in San Francisco.

  Jerome Curry, US, horn player with Eddie South’s Alabamians.

  John* (Latham), see Latham.

  Kelen*, Emery, Hungarian, caricaturist world famous in the 1920s and 30s for his cartoons of the League (see Historical Notes).

  Latham*, John (1877–1964), Australian, a conservative politician, one-time Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for External Affairs, Federal Attorney-General, several times delegate to League of Nations Assembly. Became Chief Justice of the High Court in 1935, and was briefly the first Australian Minister to Japan (1940–41). First President of the League of Nations Union in Australia. An atheist and rationalist throughout his life.

  Laval*, Pierre (1883–1945), French Prime Minister before and during WW2. Became leader again in the Vichy government and under the German occupation almost until the end of the war. After Germany surrendered in 1945, Laval was handed over to the new French government and convicted of treason. He swallowed poison in a suicide attempt on the day of his execution, but the attempt failed and he was shot by a firing squad. In 1935, as Prime Minister, he and Hoare, British co-Foreign Secretary with Eden, decided on the Hoare-Laval Agreement, proposing a peace between Italy and Ethiopia which gave way to Italian demands. This was done without the agreement of the British Cabinet or of Eden and was repudiated, but finally scuppered the attempts to rein in Italy.

  Léger*, Alexis Saint-Léger, French, officer in the French Department of Foreign Affairs, Secretary-General of the Department 1933–1940, poet who wrote under the name St-John Perse and won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

  Lester*, Sean (1888–1959), Irish journalist, Irish representative to the League of Nations, High Commissioner to Danzig, third and last Secretary-General of the League 1940–46.

  Lichtheim*, Richard, German-Jewish, former editor of Die Welt, ran the office of the World Jewish Congress in Geneva during WW2, along with Gerhardt Riegner.

  Liverright, Howard, Austrian, translator with bohemian tastes and habits.

  Loveday*, Alexander, English, Director of Economics, Finance, to which was added Transit Section when the League was reduced and these Sections moved to Princeton University in 1940. Loveday was one of the frustrated League delegation to the UN San Francisco foundation conference in 1945.

  Lux*, Stephan, Jew of Czech nationality, film director and writer. Shot himself in the League of Nations Assembly on 3 July, 1936, in protest at anti-Semitic policies of German Nazi government.

  Madariaga*, Salvador de, Spanish diplomat and delegate to the League, responsible for the animal peace analogy, ‘The lion looking sideways at the eagle said, “Wings must be abolished …” ’

  McDougall*, Frank Lidgett, economic adviser to Australian government in many different capacities during the 1930s and 1940s, especially to Stanley Bruce when he was High Commissioner in London (see above). He was born in London, educated at Darmstadt University and in 1909 migrated to Australia and became a fruit grower in Renmark in South Australia. He served in WW1. Among many other international contributions, he was very significant in the planning of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN.

  McDowell, George, Australian, businessman, childhood friend of Edith (features in the book The Electrical Experience, 1974).

  McGeachy*, Mary (1901?–1991), Canadian, Information Section, became first woman appointed to British diplomatic service, served with UNRRA, following WW2, and then executive officer of International Council of Women.

  Mountbatten*, Edwina Cynthia Annette (1901–1960), Countess, wife of Lord Louis Mountbatten, socialite in the 1920s and early 1930s, featured in a celebrated court case about a scandal involving a black American musician, for a time a socialist, then Superintendent-in-chief of St John Ambulance Brigade and Vicereine of India (1947).

  Motta*, Giuseppe, Swiss delegate to League Assembly 1920–39, first President of the Assembly, Federal Councillor of the Swiss Confederation in charge of Swiss Foreign Affairs 1920–40.

  Murphy*, Peter, homosexual, close friend of the Mountbattens.

  Nicolson*, Harold, British diplomat and writer, attended Paris Peace Conference, participated in early days of the League, was considered for post of first Secretary-General of the League. He led a homosexual life while married to writer and lesbian, Vita Sackville-West.

  Pearson*, Karl (1857–1936), mathematician, first Galton Professor of National Eugenics (1911) at the University of London and at University College. In his book The Grammar of Science he attempted to apply scientific training to social questions. Considered ‘the father of statistics’.

  Pétain*, Phillipe (1856–1951), French, World War 1 general and hero of the great WW1 battle of Verdun which stopped the German advance, later Commander-in-Chief and Inspector General of the Army, Minister of War 1934. He was a symbolic embodiment of the national spirit for many French people. After the German defeat of France in 1940, Pétain became chief of state in the French government when it moved to Vichy after an agreement with the Germans that some of France should remain unoccupied and, to a degree, self-governing. He collaborated with the Germans in what he saw was an inescapable necessity if any of France was to survive. He also saw it as an opportunity to reshape France along authoritarian lines with grand policies of national and spiritual ‘renewal’. However, his government also agreed to repressive legislation against Jews and sent French workers to Germany. The Germans occupied all of France in 1942 and Pétain continued to maintain a false appearance of French sovereignty. He was convicted of treason by the French after the war and died in prison at the age of 95.

  Riegner*, Gerhardt, German-Jewish, ran office of World Jewish Congress, in Geneva during WW2.

  Rischbieth*, Australian delegate to the Assembly.

  Robert, see Dole.

  Robeson*, Paul (1898–1976), was a black American, sportsman, singer, actor, and political activist and, in the 1920s and 1930s, part of the expatriate social life in the UK. He had significant influence in the battle against racism in the United States.

  Stimson*, Henry L., US Secretary of State (1929–33), accused at the time by his opponents in Congress of involving the US too closely with the League of Nations and Europe. Invented the idea of ‘Non-recognition’ in diplomatic relations.

  Stresemann*, Gustav, German Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Chancellor. Negotiated the entry of Germany into the League of Nations. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926 with Briand. He died 1930.

  Sugimura*, Yotaro, Japanese, Under Secretary, Director of Political Section, League of Nations.

  Sweetser*, Arthur (1888–1968), US, journalist, war correspondent and then Captain in the US Signal Corps during WW1 and a journalist at the Peace Conference in Paris in 1920. Joined the League Information Section (1919–40), responsible for League relations with the United States. Because of his personal influence and his wife’s private income, he was able, through personality and social life, to bring to bear much influence in the diplomatic world of Geneva. He was made a League officer with the rank of Director in 1940. During the war he returned to the US and was appointed Deputy Director of the Office of War Information. After the war he was for a time special adviser to the first Secretary-General of the UN, Trygve Lie. He was Director of the Washington Information Office of the UN. He remained active in international affairs until his death.

  Toptchibacheff*, A.U., Azerbaidjhan, President of the Peace Delegation to the League.

  Tuckerman*, Arthur, student at Sydney University in Edith’s time.

  Victoria (surname not mentioned), New Zealander, worked in the Registry and during the war with the International Red Cross.

  Vigier*, Henri, French, highly respected international civil servant both with the League and the United Nations, was secretary to Eden during the Ethiopian crisis, known as a draftsman of resolutions and other poli
tical documents.

  Vittoz*, Swiss, psychiatrist who treated the poet T.S. Eliot.

  Walters*, F.P., English, former Deputy Secretary-General, former private secretary to English Prime Minister Arthur Balfour and Robert Cecil, author of the official history of the League.

  Weber-Bauler*, Leon, French, consulting doctor to the League Secretariat and the International Red Cross during the time of this novel.

  Welles*, Sumner, former US Ambassador and Under Secretary of State, forced to resign from the government service in 1943 after revelations of his homosexuality.

  Wells*, H.G. (1866–1946), English, a prolific and, during the thirties, influential author of novels and social theories.

  Wenz*, Paul (1869–1939), French author who lived in Australia and worked as farmer. His work was brought to public attention again by French writer and scholar, Jean-Paul Delamotte.

  Westwood, Ambrose, English, personal staff of Sir Eric Drummond, later in Internal Services. Trained as medical doctor and served in Medical Corps during World War 1. On staff of Lord Curzon and then in Foreign Office. After suffering a breakdown in the late 1920s he went home to England but returned in 1935 to Geneva to work in a nongovernmental body called the Federation of International Societies. He also worked for British Naval Intelligence for a time in the 1920s.

  Williams*, Miss Nancy, English, head of Personnel de facto, as she was never formally appointed Head of Section.

  Acknowledgements

  Although the companion volumes Grand Days and Dark Palace stand alone as novels, the research for both books overlapped and I refer readers to acknowledgements in Grand Days for my full account of my indebtedness.

  The private and official papers of Mary McGeachy and Arthur Sweetser, both long-serving officers of the League of Nations, and the wartime diary of Sean Lester were ‘rain which fell on my crops’. I intend that this book should honour them.

  When Noel Field is recorded saying, ‘To fight and to renounce fighting, to say the truth and not to say the truth, to be helpful and unhelpful, to keep a promise and break a promise, to go into danger and to avoid danger, to be known and unknown. He who fights for communism has, of all the virtues, only one: that he fights for communism …’ he is quoting Bertolt Brecht.

  The Australian Council’s Creative Fellowship Scheme and the National Library’s Sir Harold White Fellowship permitted me to do some of the original research which flowed on from Grand Days to this volume.

  I want to record my appreciation of the staff at the Library of Congress, Washington, especially those in the manuscript department.

  The writing of this book was significantly assisted by the following institutions and individuals: the Fulbright Fellowship Scheme; the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington which invited me as Guest Scholar to permit me to write and research Dark Palace, in particular, the Arthur Sweetser papers in the Library of Congress, perhaps the most complete set of personal papers concerning the League’s history which exist. I was alerted to the existence of these papers by Professor Martin David Dubin of the Department of Political Science, Northern Illinios University, who shared his scholarship with me in Geneva.

  King’s College invited me to be writer-in-residence during 1999 and I completed the book in the supportive surroundings and atmosphere of the college, where I was extended especially considerate support by the Vice-Provost John Barber and by Professor Ian Donaldson; Griffith University’s School of Arts on the Gold Coast appointed me writer-in-residence in 1998; the Department of History, University of Sydney made me the Colonel Johnson Scholar in 1995, and I wish to thank especially Professors Stephen Garton and Ian Jack, and St Andrew’s College who provided me with accommodation.

  I thank Rosemary Creswell, Annette Hughes, Jane Cameron, Sadie Chrestman and Richard Harper of Cameron Creswell Associates who all worked to see such a large-scale project reach completion. Rosemary and Annette looked after my affairs while I was overseas and gave critical advice and moral support beyond the call of duty. I am deeply in their debt.

  Peter Straus of Picador (UK) and Jane Palfreyman formerly of Random House Australia, publishers of this volume, and my UK agent Derek Johns all sensitively supported and patiently waited for the completion of the volume. Jane edited Grand Days and Dark Palace with outstanding professional insight and talent. I wish to thank Heather Jamieson for her special and astute professional guidance in the last stages of the book.

  Jean-Paul and Monique Delamotte and the Association Culturelle Franco-Australienne, provided accommodation and advice on matters French and on life in general, and JPD for his translation of Grand Days into French for Belfond (French title, Tout un Monde d’Espoir).

  I wish to acknowledge the following very important support: The Moorehouse Estate left by my father and mother, Frank Osborne and Purthanry Thames Moorehouse and administered by Arthur Moorehouse; Fryer Library for purchase of archival material which was in turn used to fund this project; Errol Sullivan of Southern Star Films; Christopher Pearson of the Adelaide Review; David and Kim Parker for working accommodation in Normandy; David Catterns Q.C., for legal advice and for use of his mountain retreat; the late Sven Wellander, archivist until 1993 of the League of Nations Archive, Geneva; Dr Carol Baker, formerly of the United Nations Research Section, Geneva; Professor Gertrude Himmelfarb; Elizabeth Watson, my researcher at the Woodrow Wilson Center; Dr Mary Kinneare, Department of History, University of Winnipeg, for further research work on Mary McGeachy and the League; Dr Lenore Coltheart, National Archives of Australia, for the fascinating information on Jocelyn Horn (see Who is Who in the Book) and other matters; Michele Field, London facilitation and intriguing newspaper clippings; Carolyn Pettigrew; Gillian Trigg; Tony Bilson, on gastronomic matters; the family of H. Duncan Hall; Michael Easson; Barry Jones; Nicholas Hasluck; Linda Funnell, for a critical reading of the first section of the book; for support and information, Brian and Suzanne Kiernan; Richard Hall, whose background in politics and whose fine memory enriched the book; Christine Allsopp for assistance with both books; Tim and Julie Baker, for running the Paris office; Angela Browne and Don Grieve Q.C., who gave me pro-bono legal support when Grand Days was rejected from the Miles Franklin Literary Award; Noel Deschamps, both personally and through his oral history transcript on early days of the Department of External Affairs; Donald and Myfanwy Horne, for oral and written memories of early days of the Department of External Affairs and Canberra, and for wisdom and insightful conversation; Peter Bartu and Penny Edwards, who shared their first-hand experience with UN affairs with me over the years; Owen Harries, for conversations on international relations over the years; Susie Carleton for all sorts of special help; John Doxat, an eye-witness of the Saar plebiscite who shared his recollections with me; Francesca Beddie, formerly of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who gave me good advice; Guibourg Delamotte for advice on swearing in French; Professor Chris Simpson of the American University, Washington for opening doors for me; thanks to Amanda Walsh, Margaret Walsh, the Berry Historical Society and Robyn Florance for historical research on Jasper’s Brush, even though in the book it has become a wonderful fictional place.

  My thanks to Duke and Helen Minks for generous assistance in Sydney, London and Cannes while I was working on this book.

  I especially want to thank Sarah Ducker who helped me through a time of darkness and confusion when writing this book.

  I wish to thank the late Murray Sime and Meredith Sime, for friendship and support in various forms.

  I wish to thank especially Nick and Carol Dettmann, as always, for all sorts of special personal assistance and advice, including the use of Minnamurra House to work on the book in the heartlands of Edith’s upbringing and to recover myself. I am deeply appreciative of their very significant and timely gestures.

  The following people generously did the tricky job of reading the manuscript as critical readers and I thank them – Dr Don Anderson, (who also informed me on the correct behaviour of Princes),
Sandra Levy, Jusy Rymer, Sue Walsh, Michelle de Kretser, and Marion McDonald.

  THE FIRST NOVEL OF THE EDITH TRILOGY

  Grand Days

  Frank Moorhouse

  On a train from Paris to Geneva, where they will take up posts at the newly created League of Nations, Edith Campbell Berry meets Major Ambrose Westwood in the dining car, makes his acquaintance over a lunch of six courses, and allows him to kiss her passionately.

  A heady idealism prevails over Edith and her young colleagues at the League of Nations, and nothing seems beyond their grasp, certainly not world peace. The exuberance of the times carries over into Geneva nights and Edith is coaxed into a dark, glamorous and sexually adventurous underworld.

  Brillant, funny and wise, full of shocks of revelation and recognition, Grand Days is a dazzling evocation of a golden bygone era and an unerring portrait of a woman of her times – as well as a stunning novel which speaks vividly to readers today.

  THE THIRD NOVEL OF THE EDITH TRILOGY

  Cold Light

  Frank Moorhouse

  The third and final part in the epic story of Edith Campbell Berry.

  It is 1950, the League of Nations has collapsed and the newly formed United Nations has rejected all those who worked and fought for the League. Edith Campbell Berry and her now husband Ambrose Westwood are back from one of the oldest cities of the world to live in the newest city of the world. Canberra.

  Edith has ambitions to be Australia’s first female Ambassador, but finds her ambitions thwarted in this area, and instead vigorously involves herself in the building of the new centre of civilisation. Frederick, Edith’s brother, who disappeared from her life before she left Australia, reacquaints himself with her. He introduces her to the Australian Communist Party, but it is not a safe time to be a Communist in Australia – or, perhaps, to be related to one.