21 JULY 1990, Page 23

Sir: In the period between Hitler's acces- sion to power

(1933) and 1939 the then editor of the Times, Geoffrey Dawson, prevented any adverse criticism of Hitler or German policies appearing in his paper lest they took offence. And he was not the only one to treat them with timidity. Mr Ridley will not be the last to fall foul of a craven press and windy fellow politicians. Arthur Woods

Copper Beech Vineyard, Black Hill, Lindfield, Sussex