Foreign News: Mad as a Bull

Uneasy lies the head of any man who finds himself billed as Chancellor Konrad Adenauer's successor. As soon as word leaked out that aristocratic Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano would be made Vice Chancellor as well (TIME, Oct. 22), German newspapers burst forth with headlines and editorials hailing Brentano as the "crown prince." The 80-year-old Adenauer saw red. He summoned Brentano, who, in happy anticipation of receiving the new honor, left a sickbed and journeyed 100 miles. Instead the old Chancellor wanted to talk of other things, then casually let fall that he had decided that he could not spare his present Vice Chancellor, Franz Bliicher. Next day Adenauer went down to a radio station to tape a speech for broadcasting later. Unaware that the tape recorder was already running as he chatted, Adenauer was heard confiding to his press chief: "Brentano is mad as a bull!"