W. N. Ewer
Encyclopedia
William Norman Ewer was a British journalist, remembered mostly now for a few lines of verse. He was known as William or Norman, and by the nickname
Trilby
. He was prominent writing on foreign affairs
for the London
Daily Herald. It is now increasingly well established that he spied
for the Soviet Union
during the 1920s.
Often quoted is
This is from Five Souls (1917), being repeated at the end of each stanza.
Also attributed to him is the doggerel
This is often taken, with some justification, to be anti-Semitic in intent, though it would have passed at the time as wit
. It provoked at least three capping replies.
is attributed to Leo Rosten
.
is given as Cecil Brown
's or Ogden Nash
's.
Another runs, "Not so odd / The Jews chose God."
Even more effective is the anonymous
Then again, there is Jim Sleeper
's riposte:
"Moses, Jesus, Marx, Einstein, and Freud;
No wonder the goyim are annoyed."
Ewer was writing in support of guild socialism
and the National Guilds League during World War I
(in A. R. Orage's The New Age
). He became a Fabian socialist, and then apparently a communist, shortly. From 1919 he was writing in the Daily Herald.
There is evidence to show that he was an active and well-connected Soviet agent from the early 1920s, and that this was well known to MI5
, who kept him under surveillance. He has been mentioned in connection with Clare Frewen Sheridan
(1885-1970), writer and sculptor, who passed on comments of Winston Churchill
, her relative. Archival material is becoming available, documenting Ewer's success in running an infiltration operation in the United Kingdom.
At this period Ewer was a well-known writer in left-wing
publications. He was an early opponent of Trotsky, and may have followed instructions from Moscow. It appears that MI5 chose in 1929 not to prosecute, possibly to avoid embarrassment on the government side, but to keep him in place as a biddable journalist. He continued to write on foreign affairs into the Cold War
years, taking an anti-Soviet
line.
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
Trilby
Trilby
A trilby hat is a type of fedora. The trilby is viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is commonly called the "brown trilby" in England and is much seen at the horse races. It is described as a "crumpled" fedora...
. He was prominent writing on foreign affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
for the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Daily Herald. It is now increasingly well established that he spied
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during the 1920s.
Often quoted is
- I gave my life for freedom - this I know:
- For those who bade me fight had told me so.
This is from Five Souls (1917), being repeated at the end of each stanza.
Also attributed to him is the doggerel
- How odd of God/To choose the Jews.
This is often taken, with some justification, to be anti-Semitic in intent, though it would have passed at the time as wit
Wit
Wit is a form of intellectual humour, and a wit is someone skilled in making witty remarks. Forms of wit include the quip and repartee.-Forms of wit:...
. It provoked at least three capping replies.
- Not odd of God. / Goyim annoy 'im
is attributed to Leo Rosten
Leo Rosten
Leo Calvin Rosten was born in Łódź, Russian Empire and died in New York City. He was a teacher and academic, but is best known as a humorist in the fields of scriptwriting, storywriting, journalism and Yiddish lexicography.-Early life:Rosten was born into a Yiddish-speaking family in what is now...
.
- But not so odd
- As those who choose
- A Jewish God
- Yet spurn the Jews
is given as Cecil Brown
Cecil Brown
Cecil Brown was the author of the book Suez to Singapore, which describes the sinking of HMS Repulse in December 1941. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 6410 Hollywood Blvd. for his contribution to radio.. He was a war correspondent who worked closely with Edward R...
's or Ogden Nash
Ogden Nash
Frederic Ogden Nash was an American poet well known for his light verse. At the time of his death in 1971, the New York Times said his "droll verse with its unconventional rhymes made him the country's best-known producer of humorous poetry".-Early life:Nash was born in Rye, New York...
's.
Another runs, "Not so odd / The Jews chose God."
Even more effective is the anonymous
- How strange of man
- To change the plan
Then again, there is Jim Sleeper
Jim Sleeper
Jim Sleeper , a writer and teacher on American civic culture and politics and a lecturer in political science at Yale University, is the author of The Closest of Strangers: Liberalism and the Politics of Race in New York and Liberal Racism...
's riposte:
"Moses, Jesus, Marx, Einstein, and Freud;
No wonder the goyim are annoyed."
Ewer was writing in support of guild socialism
Guild socialism
Guild socialism is a political movement advocating workers' control of industry through the medium of trade-related guilds. It originated in the United Kingdom and was at its most influential in the first quarter of the 20th century. It was strongly associated with G. D. H...
and the National Guilds League during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
(in A. R. Orage's The New Age
The New Age
The New Age was a British literary magazine, noted for its wide influence under the editorship of A. R. Orage from 1907 to 1922. It began life in 1894 as a publication of the Christian Socialist movement; but in 1907 as a radical weekly edited by Joseph Clayton, it was struggling...
). He became a Fabian socialist, and then apparently a communist, shortly. From 1919 he was writing in the Daily Herald.
There is evidence to show that he was an active and well-connected Soviet agent from the early 1920s, and that this was well known to MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, who kept him under surveillance. He has been mentioned in connection with Clare Frewen Sheridan
Clare Frewen Sheridan
Clare Sheridan , was an English sculptress and writer who is known primarily for creating busts for famous sitters, and writing diaries recounting her worldly travels...
(1885-1970), writer and sculptor, who passed on comments of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, her relative. Archival material is becoming available, documenting Ewer's success in running an infiltration operation in the United Kingdom.
At this period Ewer was a well-known writer in left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
publications. He was an early opponent of Trotsky, and may have followed instructions from Moscow. It appears that MI5 chose in 1929 not to prosecute, possibly to avoid embarrassment on the government side, but to keep him in place as a biddable journalist. He continued to write on foreign affairs into the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
years, taking an anti-Soviet
Anti-Sovietism
Anti-Sovietism and Anti-Soviet refer to persons and activities actually or allegedly aimed against the Soviet Union or government power within the Soviet Union.Three different flavors of the usage of the term may be distinguished....
line.