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THE WAR YEARS AND AFTER
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4. U.S.A.: The
demand had dwindled because, out of fear of offending Antwerp dealers,
we would not meet the new situation that has arisen. ...
In
another technical memorandum he asked himself the question whether the
problem could be solved by 'adjusting the sterling prices of the
various sizes and/or qualities'. He answered his question in the
negative:
A
workable adjusted sterling price structure for rough diamonds cannot be
brought about until the convertibility of sterling is restored. . . .
All we can do at the present time is to conform to all Government
regulations, and otherwise remember—and base our selling policy on the
fact—that we buy in sterling and sell in sterling, and that it is not
our duty to protect the Bank of England against itself. The bank will
not even thank us for our well-meant interference.
Lest
it be thought that these remarks imply a lack of cordial relations
with the Bank of England, it may be added that there are authoritative
reasons for stating that Ernest Oppenheimer was at all times a welcome
visitor to that institution, and that his views were held in high
regard there.
♦ XXV ♦
On
22 May 1957 Ernest Oppenheimer celebrated his 77th birthday in a
characteristic way: he opened the new diamond offices in London, the
old ones having been destroyed by incendiary bombs during the night of
10 May 1941. It was in a building designed to house the offices of the
diamond group and the Anglo American Corporation; as he said on the
occasion, 'I have always dreamed of seeing the London offices of the
diamond group and the Anglo American Corporation housed under the same
roof. The few words which he said to the friends and colleagues who
surrounded him may well close this chapter: they sum up the thinking
and the work of a lifetime:
When
one moves into a new home it is customary to give a house-warming
party. This is the nature of this function. We have invited our friends
so that we can show them our new home, and can ask them to rejoice with
us in our good fortune. It is also not uncustomary to have a party on
one's birthday. Today happens to be mine, and I am delighted to welcome
to this party not only our distinguished friends from this country, but
also from overseas—from the United States, from Belgium, from Holland,
from Israel, and from my own country South Africa. . . .
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