◆ SpookStack

THE AMERICAN REPORT BURGESS: In 1949 while on holiday abroad je was guilty of “indiscreet talk about. secret mat- ters of which he had official knowledge.” - For this he was severely réprimanded. Yet the following year he was sent to Washington as a Second Secretary at. the Embassy, Out there, the Ambassador put in a report on him that made even the Foreign Office think about firing him. His work was unsatisfactory, he lacked thorough- ness and balance, the U.S. State Department looked unfayourably on his reckless driving, and he had. had to be reprimanded for “ care- lessness. in leaving confidential papers un< attended.” . 4 the Ambassador's request he was removed fr¢ni Washington... ' ; hen the Foreign Office really got down. to wo “lHe was recalied to London in early May, 19p1, and was asted to resign from the Foreign Offige. Consideration was.being given to. the steps that would be taken in the event of his refusigg to do- so. It was at. this point. that he] dis- appeared,” - Soin view of this record, how could the two men have stayed so long in this highly secret service? This is the White Paper answer-that is no answer at all: : “ Aetion was taken in each case, Tt was only shortly before Maclean disappeared that serious-suspicton of his reliability was aroused and active inquiries seton foot.” And how could they have escaped when the security sleuths were on their track? “The watch on Maclean was made diff- cult by the need to ensure that he did not become aware that-he was under observation. “Ft was tnadvisable to increase this risk by extending the surveillance to his home in an isolated part of the country and he was therefore watched in Londen only. . “ Both men were free to go abro: ay ume... In this country no arrest} can e made without adequate evidence, - plying successive Ministers with incomplete at | NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE “At the time there was insufficiebt evidence. It was for these reasons necessary Jor security to embark upon the difficult and deHeate tnvestigation of Maclean, taking inte full account the visk that he would be alerted, In the event lve was alerted’ oias _ That is the end of this sorry tale except for a whitewash for the “reticence” of Ministerial replies about the two men. This is attributed to the necessity for secrecy in espronage and countcr-espionage, That is the whitewash cover laid on 10 protect the men who were guilty of sup- information about these traitors, to he passed on to the House of Commons and the public. IP IS A PATHETIC DOCUMENT. A RECORD OF FALTERING INDECISION, le might almost lave been designed to demonstrate to the world that we are children in the art.of spying, and babies in arms at the job of catching our own traitors. But above all it leaves hanging in the air, s menacing as that Thing which hong down om the roof of the Abbey in the Quaterntass iXperiment, the possibility of the existence still of 4 master spy able to tap the devisipns of our most secret. services.