Espionage
nOOR Roger Casement! It seems his ghost is r not to be allowed to rest; on a television programme this week he was cited as an example of a spy, along with Matra Hari, Fuchs, Ponte- corvo and the Rosenbergs. It is arguable that Casement was a traitor; he went over to the enemy in time of war, though whether this con- stituted treachery or patriotism (as he considered his country, Ireland, to be in a state of war with Britain) depends on the point of view. But by no twist of the word's meaning can he be classi- fied as a spy.
But this is depressingly typical of slipshod programmes such as The Faceless Ones. Their only discernible purpose appears to be to salve the conscience of the Independent Television Authority, which likes to insist on contractors putting out a basic minimum of what are cynically known at 'prestige' programmes. so that their existence can be boasted about if there are hostile questions in Parliament or complain- ing letters to the Times. This one has since, no doubt, been added to the quota as a 'serious' or 'minority' programme, though the only worth- while moment on it was when Sir Compton Mackenzie appeared briefly at the end to dismiss it as melodramatic rubbish.'
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