◆ SpookStack

At last @ newspaper Jiave been countless (costly) Maclean and Mr. Burgess, of the Foreign Office, since they vanished four years ago. Naw the tale told in “The People” as from Mr, Petrov in Australia is admitted by the Foreign Office to be certain. essentials true. in ‘HOSE are not my words, from a leading article in the “ The Times” last Monday while the world was still reeling from the disclosures we printed the day before about the missing diplomats. It was a graceful compliment from that august d it is gratefully received. Not merely because it is pleasant for the staff of a newspaper to have its enterprise so openly acclaimed, but because these words may put an end to the insidious cam- puign to discredit what is called “ the popular Press: For years the public has been fed with the story th hey should take no notice of newspapers like “Tb cope.” We have been brushed aside as concerned only journal ne rg harlots, stunts.”” has rung the bell. with “ sensation catch-penny There stories of Mr. ‘They are a quotation yF we uncover a grave offwial injustice we are calle} “scandal sheets” and dccused of distortion. If we reveal aspects of lifp that show the existence ocial problems we are accused of “ muck-raking.” There is a good reason for this, in all walks of life there is a hard core of men with power who fear the popular Press, For we are not satisfied to accept official statements, We dig under the surface. We find out the facts—and we print them. Worse still, we call a spade a spade and, since we see it as our duty to write for ordinary men and women who often refer io that implement as an adjectival shovel, we sometimes use these very words for it. . So officialdom has d to gang up on us. It has “explained away” our disclosures about. what is really going on in public life with airy-[airy statements. And lately it has adopted the more sinister tactics of defaming the popular Press as “irresponsible” and “degrading.” 7 Since it has heen “The People” that has upset thon most with ernsades, this newspaper has been the taf- get of much of this denigration. But the conspiracy has 4. Time and again we have succeeded Ju exposing and ending evlts ite their clucks and a, When Duncan Webb Drought to light the ghastly vice ring in London run by the Messina brothers, they sneered and called his articles “ pornography.” But the police were forced to act, aud two of the Gang were gaoled while the other three fled the country. * . pus newspaper faces fife as it is.and forees others iw follow suit. Muck ~raking? Is it “muck-raking” to let young people read what actually happened toja girl who ran away fram home to take a lorry rifle into a life of shame?