◆ SpookStack

i GR S i) fledged _officer--of, the Soviet ohh pervjce” +4e“ ow did it ail. begin’ My } decision to play an active ‘* part in the struggie axainst ~\ reaction was mot the resuit of ‘sudden conversion Mv earhest thoughts on politics turned me towards the Labour movement ; and one of my first acts on going up to Camoridge in 1929 “was w join the Cambridge University Socialist Society For the first two years. I attended V its meetings with regularity. out otherwise took tue’ part in ite proceedings Through yenera! reading 1 became gradually aware that the Labour Party in Britain stood well apart from the mainstream of the Left as @ world-wide force But the real turning-pgint in my _thinxing came with the demoralisation And rout of the Labour Party in 1931. {t seemed incredible that the party should be 60 vchelptess against the reserve : ‘gtrength which Reaction could ; ‘ mobilise in time of crisis “More important still. the fact that a supposedly sophisticated -elec- torate haa oeen stampeded dy 1S.appoinunent ‘he of cover-{o! out suficientif v attaining Dost. my service wo n would be mot connection with Seen against nw, mitment to the ich T regarded w, the inner fay rid movement year or twoll: 2 jtttle. During’ the cynical propaganda of the 1 was @ sort_¢?: day threw serious doubt on the pationer. I sipi, validity of the assumptions 1 wonder at tHe ‘e shown by ny service. a patiente by their intel. ding ; week, ‘we, woud other of the Faces in 1d reat underiy{!ng parliamentary } democracy as a whole ILwas tne Labour disxster of * 1931 which first set me seriously thinking about possible alterna- tives to the Labour Party 1 began to take a more active part in ‘the proceedings of the Cam- bridge University Socialist | Soctety, and was its treasurer in 1932-3 This brought me into admonition. apd’. contact with streams of Left L 1 was: of4n!’ wing opinion critical of the {my ‘failure “2i:; Labour Party. notably with the wag worth whis,; Communsis. Extensive reading ns went on af". ‘and growing appreciation of the hen the time came: } ciassics of European Socialism ck. I found myafif; alternated with vigorous and a” much sof. tpg t sometimes heated discussions al equipment.” AJ. within the society. amit abe! 30° was a slow and brain ing brain & 1 would reat us empty-hand! ha load of pains PY’S OWN Lory ig ky? mg at Cambndge. in the, summer of 1933. that I threw off my last doubts “| left the university with a degree and with the con- viction that_my [fe must be devoted to Communism How. where and when 1 became a member of the Soviet Intelligence Service 18 a matter for myself and my comrades 1 will only say that when the proposition was made to me |} did not hesitate One does not look twice at an offer of enrol: ment in an elite force The first serious crisis of my career was long drawn out, last. ing roughly from the middie ot 151 to the end. of 1955, Throughout it i’ was sustained by the thought that nobod could pin on me any link. wit Communist organisations. for the simpie reason that I nad never been a, member of any The first 30 years of my work r the cause “in’ which believed were from the begin- Ming. spent underground Thi jong ‘phase started in Central Europe in June 1033. it ended in the Lebanon jn January 1963 Onis then was I abie to emerge in my true colours. the colours of a Soviet Intelligence officer. Atter neariy'a year of illegal activity in’ Central - Europe (Philby ta reterring here to the 1930's, when he fust left Cambridge] 1 returned to Eng: land [t was time for me to start earning my own living Then something evidentiy happened Within a few weeks I hac dropped all my political friends and had begun tw fre uent functions ‘at the German bassy I joined the Anglo- German Fellowship. and did much of the leg-work involved in an abortive attempt to start, with Nazi funds. a trade Journal designed to foster good relations between Britain and German were in progress. I paid several visits to Berlin for talks with the Propaganca Ministry and the Diensistelle Ribbentrop No one Nas so lar suggested that [ had switched trom Com- munism to Nazism The simpler. and true explanation ‘is that overt and covert links between Britain and Germany at that tume were of serious Concern to the Soviet Government The Spanish war broke out during one of my visits to Berlin The Nazis were Cock-a- hoop and tt was not until 1 returned to Engiand that I learned that Genera! Franco had not.taken over the whole country but that a long civi) war was in prospect T had been. told by my Sov my first priority the British Secret the Press corps lefi 1 in early Octover lew hints thay back and wait service was a subject interested_me for My next assicnment was to In Nazi Germany and Fascist occupied territory in Spain. 4 had dalf exr Spain with the aim of bedding approach own there as close to the “PP Sas contiaent ths: centre of things as possible. on centre of things ag porsieitaion Feeommass my man, tre was successful for within a few soundings. He wou'e weeks T became the accreditec and bronzed. of cours: corresoondent of The Times Clipped moustache with Franco's torces. and served Getents and. most. pr. as such throughout the. whole ¢j:pped mind, He wou heart-breaking war eee any neck Ou Again. no one nas suggested country and frown au that this made me a Falingirta The simpler exnianation still holds the field‘ 1 wax there on Sovier service. In August 1939. when tne war clouds were piling up fast T mentioned pay in the torm of a pho The Times mgniring over Danzig The Times told Soon afterward. me to forget Soain and hold myself in the forecou myself In read’ness for attach. St. Ermin’s Hotel James's Park station, Miss Marjorie Maxse. ment to any British force that might be sent to the Western Front an intensely iikeab’ It was as good as ! could nave lady (then almost as expected In the circumstances am now! 1 had no -as IL have no idea now precise position in Ri wi Any war correspondent with inquiring mind could amas @ huge amount of information as which censorship would . not But she spoke with allow him to publish. and my 8nd was evideatle In experience In Spain had taught Ai east fo recommen employ: me the right sort of question i, APO: to ask : : As it turned out, - British T-passed ts Mi: Bigg Ma wera; extabliahed of the capital. not only obvious purpose of phils But, good as it was. tt post Was not good enou I dr here and th: 1 cou-d then do At was in the summer tw the best of my ki that | first made cont the British Secret Serv rn But no, nothing pay (The approach finc was avaiable for “war