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The December 2000 Journal (received this morning) records an address by the Rev.H.D.Potter, M.A.,M.Phil,Ll.B., Barrister- at- Law. The 'Address' is on page 21 of the Journal .In the closing sentences of the preamble, the Editor muses whether Mr. Potter's severe judgement on Kipling would provoke any reader to comment.As my American kinsmen Thomas might have said 'You bet!: I think that in this case the work of RK has been used as a platform to disseminate subjective, and somewhat questionable political,racial and pacifist opinions. That the Society saw fit to publish this adumbrative logic surprises me. The mocking tone of the Rev Potter's comment on the 'Boys Own' account of RK's correspondence offends me deeply. My father fought in the 1914-18 war and was wounded in Flanders, the letters between my father and my grandfather bear great similarity,content and syntax to the letters quoted by the Rev H.D.Potter, who I am sure must be aware that he enjoys the full freedom of his comfortable spiritual and temporal life( as do we all) due to the endeavours of young men(like John Kipling-and those in later conflicts) who were prepared to serve in the armed forces, and face an enemy intent on domination and subjugation.RK was not alone,nor was he a leader in the contemporary hatred of Germany, and Germans. In the light of those that had dachshunds as pets, he might have been considered a moderate. Vera Brittain's brother who emotionally questioned the balance between Victory and the 'little pile of sodden grey rags' should perhaps have been transported in time and re-written his observations at the gates of the charnel houses of Bergen- Belsen. The Rev Potter's conjured 'picture' of RK disturbs me; a scholarly address on one of the greatest literary figures of our time, should surely not descend to the level of comparing him with a popular television iconoclast Alf Garnet. On page 40 of the journal, the Rev Potter has RK looking remarkably like Alf Garnett, drinking whisky and smoking cigars with Rider Haggard. The talk between them is described as half obscene and half absurd. I have heard of the phrase 'the devil can cite scripture for his purpose' But this particular address(10 pages -20 sides) has as much rational place in the Journal as bacon sandwiches at a Bar Mitzvah. Michael Jefferson