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nce ek ae Jd a C Called 3d Man In Defection C a) Philby I Background Sources. - Doubt Commutist Leanings The London Observer today published a 4500-word back- ground article on the disap- pearance of its Mid East correspondent, H. A. Rv Philby, who, the governnié as week, was the “third man” in the 1951 Burgess Maclean spy defection: tase. ‘The disappearance remains a mystery, the Observer said, but the article quoted several sources,” including a former American diplomat and the newspaper's foreign editor,| who considered Philby a com- petent reporter with no Com- munist sympathies. + It also pointed out that Philby was hired in 1956 by the Observer and The Econo- mist after a member of the British: Foreign Office staff, on an “official” visit, said it was unfair that the former diplomat was “not in a job worth his talent or earning capacity.” Believed Premeditated bserver said the disappear- The Si-year-old correspond-lance had apparently been pre- ent disappeared in Beirut,[ meditated. Lehanon last January, andthe] Deputy Foreign Minister “HAROLD PHILBY . spy case diary wat 1 ae » var Mies 2 Edward Heath told the House of Commons last Monday that Philby was believed to be be- hind the Iron Curtain. Heath said the government is “now aware” that Philby warned diplomats Guy Bur- ee ee reat Reon and SJUILGAG flee England in 1951 because British security agents were preparing to apprehend them. The Observer said Philby’s close friends are still bewild- ered. The newspaper raised several possible theories to explain his disappearance. “Money looked important somewhere in the story,” the article said. “Friends who respected him thought = it quite likely that, given his need and his temperament, he would embark on a quite risky enterprise if the reward were high enough.” He also was observed drinking heavily during the past year, the article said. The observer slso noted that although Philby had “no known enemies . the Sau- di Arabians had occasionally "| been disturbed by his rather Republi¢an political line.” No. Red Trace =~ The Observer's foreign edi- tor was quoted as saying that Philby’s writing “showed not only no.trace of Communist bias but also no evidence of a Marxist method of think- ing. His reporting was realis- tic and objective and his po- litical interpretation was cau- tious in form and traditional iin styie.* The article quoted former American diplomat Miles Copeland as saying that, “If Philby was a Communist he was the best actor in the world, and this was quite un- believable. " When Philby. first disap- peared, the Observer said, “No one then claimed they had heard him utter any Com- munist sentiment under any aalaen a7 Digit a ts ditions of stress o or.” jeondit stress of liquor, { C cailahan ont ans Gale Rosgn Su Tavel Trotter Tele Room —_ Holmes Gandy Meanwhile, the Lon Daily Herald yesterday c: Philby a “double agent" d been workin pang ‘the Middle East since 195 195 British intelligence and most certainly” for Russ’ well er nee eaten ji The Washingion Posi and 1 Times Herajd The Washington Daily News _ The Evening Star New York Herald Tribune New York Journali-American — New York Mirror New York Daily News New York Post The New York Times The Worker The New Leader The Wall Street Journal ~ The National Observer Date Nor reeoRDE: 191 JUL 11 1963