◆ SpookStack

FUSAHE Foreign, Office, faced with the dis- elosure of some: (but only some) of its long hidden Burgess-Maclean sectets, pours a bucket of whitewash over itself. Will if get away with that erformance ? TI hope not. think the safety of the ation justifies the ios searching investlgati inte the Forelen Office, He a the Secret Service. Even if such an investigatign uncovers—-as I think it would some secrets as devastating as a Hiroshima bomb. Security department, T ET us leave Maclean for the: moment and turn to urgess, the more evil and angerous man of the ive. Hel was not only a man of moral j-repute, buh & man with & Sinister political background, known to haye disclosed secrels. WHAT HAPPENED when the Foreigh Office recelved & strong prepare against him ? He was merely “ reprimanded,” and giver: a post. at Washing- ton where he could dabble in secrels. again, Wha was responsible for that folly ? ' ap washingfon Burgess con-~ A 2 tinues the same behaviour. He not only mishehaves but he is again what the Foreign Office describes as “careless” about secret: papers. The ambassador sends him Home. Tne Foreign Office sends him on hotiday whilq fo akes up fis mind whether to ack him or nov. 1 THINK we are entitled fo ask -did some peonie throw] A antle of protection round his singulariy favoured young man? Who were they? is known now that Burges xvas in touch with Russia only here but in th United States. Yet that. fac either never discovered of discovered, is never produce against him. What a remars- able security system, isnt it ? Further. at Washington, Bufgess learns that his oid friend Maclean is about to be caught for handing secrets io the = Russians. Who leaked ‘nat: vital information to Burges Undoubtedly someone vite thé British Enibassy. Qughtn't we to know who he is, and what has happened ta him, if any- ng. - Bur €ss comes home and ‘ tips 9 Maclean. He prepares for thelr fight. Buys. the travel tickets. And by odd coincidence they jeave the country on the very day that the Foreign Sécretary, Mr. Herbert Morrison, authorises the interrogation of Maclean. DID BURGESS have another tip, off" from ‘within. the ‘oreign Office that it was time @ rum? It looks like it. . Ow to the most remarkabl happening of all “Wh wasn't Burgess with ° hi a ; known bad record put unger closé surveillance after pis return from the “United Siates ? fad he bean watched as a Mpn with his history should have peen, nis associatcon with Maclean, who was then weing quietly investigated, would have beerr discovered. That would certainiy have dropped the netp over Maclean. Burgess's. Foreign Office con~ tacts. would alsa have come under observation and © sus- picien which might have thrown “a light on several mysteries. His buying of the travel tickets would have indicated that flight was imminent. The trap would have loeen closed an both of them. There would heve Hoen mo escape. . Aut. for some inexplicable yeason no watéh Was pu on him by M.1.4, the department responsibie. I suggest tha the head of M.1.3. then Sir Yerex Sillitoe, should be asked to explain that mystery. F Sir Perey Sillitoe knew the facts, then clearly be Was guilty of extraordinary ine tie tude in. failing to order the shadowing of Burgess. If, on the other hand, the information did not reach him, T think ib is reasonabie to ask why not, and who failed to let him have. if. BURGESS IN FACT. was such & luckysyoung mai that. we need some hetter assurance than we have yet had tbat his astonishingly Jengthy = im- munity and final escape were not due to the protection of friends wilh political admins- trative or security power. ned J think Wve are also entifled to ask the Foreign Offige: “Are you stone-cald cert in that you haven't any marg at home. like him?”