Captain Alec S. Cunningham-Reid, M.P., divorced Social Lioness Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley in 1940 and sued for half her $400,000 annual income. One thing he could not forget about their honeymoon was her insistence that they share her wealth because "no decent woman likes to have a man live with her in charity." Later that year, M.P.s accused the Captain of visiting Doris Duke Cromwell in Honolulu to duck the Blitz. He said he went to evacuate 500 British children. Minister of Information Brendan Bracken called it "beachcombing in Honolulu."
Among the many people who do not like Captain Cunningham-Reid is Commander Oliver S. Locker-Lampson, M.P., who organized the Blue Shirts in 1931 to "clear out the Reds." When Britain broke relations with Russia and the Blue Shirts faded, the Commander announced that Britain had become a "vassal" of the U.S. The future looked blue, he said, unless Britain could "build up beneath her flag an Empire, currency and credit to conquer and save the world." Among the many people who do not like Commander Locker-Lampson is Captain Cunningham-Reid.
In the House of Commons last week Captain Cunningham-Reid asked Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden what disability necessitated the transfer of Yugoslavia's Prince Paul from Kenya to South Africa. Before Mr. Eden could reply, Commander Locker-Lampson asked "from what medical disability was Captain Cunningham-Reid suffering when he left England in the Blitz?" Captain Cunningham-Reid warmly remarked that Commander Locker-Lampson reminded him of "a cuckoo which makes a nuisance of itself in other people's nests."
Later, in the oak-paneled lobby of the House, thick with smoke and members, Captain Cunningham-Reid blockaded Commander Locker-Lampson against the wall and shouted: "I want to know whether or not you are going to continue making these personal attacks on me. I have no objection to your attacking in the ordinary Parliamentary way, but I object to these dirty underhand personalities."
LL: "I don't know."
CR: "In that case, I give you warning that I am going to attack you in the same way in the House."
LL: "This is blackmail."
CR: "You can call it what you damned well like, you nasty old man."
LL: "Take that back or I'll hit you."
CR: "Well, hit me."
L-L did.
C-R swung.
LL: "Oh!"
M.P.s separated them.
Later in the day, addressing the Speaker of the House—
CR: "I apologize for any embarrassment caused the House."
LL: "I apologize for any embarrassment caused the House."