16 JUNE 1939, Page 22

MRS. ROOSEVELT'S COLUMN [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,

I am sure that I am expressing the feelings of many of your readers when I say that the admission to your issue of the 9th inst. of the paragraph, under the head of " A Spectator's Notebook," relating to Mrs. Roosevelt is deplorable.

It would show pretty bad taste at any time, but that is specially so when that lady is acting as the hostess of our King and Queen on their momentous visit to the U.S.A.

Even if the writer himself felt what he expresses in that paragraph, a little reticence would have been more in accord- ance with the good taste which one expects in the columns of The Spectator.

One can only hope that this issue may not get into the hands of any American.—Yours faithfully,

Mill Lawn, Reigate. W. W. PAINE.

[Janus writes : The whole purpose of the paragraph in question was to urge that—particularly at this time—Mrs. Roosevelt should not, in fairness to herself, be judged by the column appearing under her name in a London evening paper, but by the qualities she is known to possess.]