22 DECEMBER 1944, Page 10

* * * * Such a case is that of

Mr. P. G. Wodehouse, which has received considerable publicity in the Press. There is a danger, as matters stand, that the public may either exaggerate or minimise Mr. Wodehouse's action, and it may be useful, therefoie, to examine the known facts. Five questions arise—namely: Did Mr. Wodehouse in fact broadcast on the German wireless? Did he in those broad- casts say anything offensive to Great Britain or her Allies? Was

he aware at any time that what he was doing was considered an act of disloyalty by his fellow countrymen? Did the Germans them- selves regard his broadcasts as being to their advantage? And did he receive any consideration for so acting? Mr. Wodehouse, it must be recalled, was living in France at the time of the German invasion, and was arrested and deported by the Germans in the summer of 1940. In 1941 he was released from internment, brqught to Berlin, where Mrs. Wodehouse joined him, and lodged in the Adlon Hotel. During this period he delivered five broadcasts from Berlin to the United States. Of these, the first was not taken down by our own monitoring services ; they were, however, able to register the remaining four—namely, those of July 9th, July 23rd, July 30th and August 6th. I have read the text of these transcriptions. I under- stand, moreover, that Mr. Wodehouse himself does not deny that he did in fact broadcast to America from the Berlin station. Of-that there can be no doubt at all.