In an atmosphere hot with the steam of seething tempers, the riven ranks of British Labor met last week in a parliamentary committee room to patch up their differenceor open the rift irrevocably. For once, Party Leader Clement Attlee had thrown his native caution to the winds. He came to the meeting armed with a resolution demanding that the rebel Bevanites come to heel, without reservation. They must support, among other things, rearmament. Bevan himself, in a speech in his own constituency of Ebbw Vale, had all but threatened to withdraw from the party if such a resolution were pressed.
At the...