19 JUNE 1947, Page 16

ACID AND METAL

Snt,—I have no personal knowledge of Lord Simon of Wythenshawe. For all I know Janus may be right in his innuendo that be has a lust for position which has been adequately gratified by one year's mem- bership of the Labour Party. Lord Simon's " burden " of public work in this area, and particularly for twenty years and more for the University of Manchester, makes the addition of the word " emoluments " so ludi- crous it can do Lord Simon no harm and only makes one doubt the accuracy and fairness of Janus's acid wit in the past and for the future. The function of the acid test of separating base metal has surely failed on this occasion.—Yours truly, EDWARD J. FOULDS. 2 Tenterden Street, Bury, Lancashire.

[Janus writes : I accept this criticism in part. There was no suggestion of any "lust for position," but simply of the promptness with which converts are rewarded. But I frankly recognise on reflection that the paragraph in question was not happily conceived.]