12 JUNE 1941, Page 3

The Paper Shortage

A petiod of still more drastic paper-rationing dates from the beginning of this month, the reduction applied generally being to 25 per cent. of the average tonnage consumed pre-war. The size of The Spectator had already been reduced by about 5o per cent., in spite of such mitigation as was obtained by thinning down the paper to danger-point, and further reductions are obviously unavoidable now. Advertising, of course, has to be limited, at a considerable sacrifice of revenue. On the editorial side even, endeavour will be made to preserve the essential character of The Spectator, so far as is possible in the circumstances, and we are confident that we may count on the sympathy, and within reasonable limits, the indulgence, of our readers.