◆ SpookStack

here does the responsibility lie ? F the whole unha stor of the Missing Diploma was not so desperately serioud, the valiant efforts’ of the gresenl Foreign — Secretary, Alr, Harold Macmillan, and of Lord John Hope, to offer ther- selves as hostages would be inerely funny, Mr. Macmillan has made a noble offer to “take the viame,” although at the time Maclean was not only spying hat also bringing discredit ot ‘fe Foreign Service by his sorderly behaviour,” the finister” was a somewhat re MP. with no official pesifion, Let there be no oubt, someone is esponsible. For, — leavirfy side for . the | momedt Maclean's treachery, Ss ehaviour for some years had been such that he was not fitted to hold the honourable position of a senior member of the British Foreign Ser- vice, _And somebody was covering bim. gravel, Is this the end of the story? (CERTAINLY not, Mbre, much more, is likelf to be heard of Donald Macipan, The Soviet Government Have matched the British Govérn- Teent in their bland denials for the past four years of any knowledge of the Missing Diplomats, But now that one of their own renegades has blown the gaff, further denials will be utile. . And so 1 suggest they will soon make public use of a man who has cles one of theif well-raid servants sand they will put Dorid Maclean on the air “jn The interests of East-West frie§d- ship.” ly become .. FAILU THE HE White Paper on RE ALL \ WAY - Burgess and Maclean is an admission of failure, The Foreign Office failed to pay early or adequate heed to the extraordinary behaviour of these two men holding offices of high responsibility in the Poreign Service. The Intelligence Service failed in the elementary task of Keeping them under surveillance. At the moment when suspicion should have been keenest, Maclean was given week-end leavé ! The fact that he and Burgess had flown the country was not discovered’ for three days. And the excuse for leaving Maclean unguarded is that he would have been difficult to “shadow” in the country. This would be laughable were the whole thing not so serious. These were grave enough blundets:*Almost as*~ big a mistake was the decision to keep the story under lock and key for four years, Everything in the White Paper—apart from references to the later departure of Mrs, Maclean to join her husband— cogld have been made public in 1951. The result of this incomprehensible delay is that thé whole Foreign Office has suffered. Hundreds of loyal and devoted civil servants have now been tainted by scandal. The prestige of the entire department has been dealt a shattering blow. Responsibility MEANWHILE, the remains. question of responsibility For Mr, Harold Macmillan to say “Blame me” is nonsense—and, whatever the rule~ book says, he knows it to be nonsense. all the fault be laid at Nor can the doorstep of Mr, Herbert Morrison, who was Foreign Secretary in 1951, and who probably signed a hundred other State papers on the day he approved Maclean's investigation. The full story has yet to be told. No one would be foolish enough to demand that our counter- espionage methods be made public. But we have 4 right to know who was directly responsible for this disastrous failure to protect vital secrets, and whether he still remains in a position of trust. The solution of the Burgess and Maclean mystery has been revealed reluctantly—and a little ata time, The White Paper all but completes the sefies of admissions. But public opinion wilt not bi sifisfied with anything less than the whole truth, That is why an early House of Commons debat the White Paper demand it. is essential. The peoplé