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Case by Case. Some who know Eden well argue that this picture of the dithering, indecisive man is less than fair to him. Eden is a great proponent of the clean desk. A diplomatic telegram arrives from an embassy; he deals with it. An attack is made in the House of Commons; he chooses his line of defense without hesitation. At the level of specific answer to specific questions he is far more decisive and less of a procrastinator than Churchill. (When he was waked from a sound sleep to receive Bulganin's note, his first reaction was to begin drafting a reply-not to call experts for an assessment of Russian intentions or to check on Brit ain's defense capabilities.)
In the past, a trained Foreign Office man acted within the huge framework of law, administration, private contracts and trade that was the British Empire. The Tightness of his specific decisions depended merely on relating them to that structure. But now the structure is gone, and a sounder criticism of Eden is that he seems incapable of visualizing a new structure to replace it. British common law is made case by individual case, but it would be chaotic if those cases did not build up into a coherent structure. In foreign affairs, Eden is still a case-by-case man.
For months, the only case he could see in the Middle East was whatever would lead to dumping Nasser. In his difference with Dulles over Suez. Dulles again and again made the point that the West, as the canal's users, must impress the Arab world that its long-range interests lay with the West, and if the Arabs wanted the West's capital and technical aid they must have the West's confidence. Eden could see only one need. All his plans were aimed at bringing about Nasser's downfall, and he refused to look beyond to the shape of the Arab world that might result.
Butler's Praise. Though dissatisfaction with Eden's performance is real, there seems no immediate likelihood that he might be overthrown by a revolt of Tory backers in the House. The Tories have a 59-vote majority; no large body of Tories wants to bring down the government in such a way as to bring the Labor opposition to power. Tories do not do things that way. The Tory way is quiet talk at the Carlton Club, little conferences in House offices, and an agreement that Anthony needs a rest.
If Eden were to be replaced, the leading contender would be the cold and talented Rab Butler, who all through the crisis managed skillfully to convey his aloofness from Eden while at the same time publicly expressing his loyalty. Privately, he let it be known he had not been consulted on many points. Publicly he exclaimed: "I have never known, under any Prime Minister I have served, the qualities of courage, integrity and flair more clearly represented than in our present Prime Minister." Commented the Economist: "Remembering, as one was meant to remember, that Mr. Butler's last Prime Minister was Sir Winston, [this is] an example of how to damn a leader by praise that nobody will believe."