10 OCTOBER 1947, Page 4

The long letter cabled from Moscow by M. Marshak to

The Times on Mr. Hector McNeil's speech at the United Nations Assembly is an interesting example of Russia's diligence in propaganda. The whole thing may, of course, have been a private venture on the part of M. Marshak (whose English style, not merely faultless but dis- tinguished, is striking), but cabling to the extent of three quarters of a column of The Times is a costly business, and would lay a heavy

strain on M. Marshak's personal resources. It may be assumed, therefore, that the letter, like most things in Russia, was directly or indirectly official. No exception, clearly, can be taken to that. It is

an example of Russian thoroughness in such matters. Two or three other letters, similar in character and length, have appeared in The Times in the last few months.

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