24 DECEMBER 1937, Page 6

The appointment of Mr. A. E. Barker to take charge

of the B.B.C.'s new foreign broadcasts is very reassuring. Of the importance of the new departure, whose chief- purpose is to provide some offset to the propaganda, mostly anti- British, with which the Italian and other stations fill the air, is obvious ; it was heavily underlined in the foreign affairs debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Mr. Barker, who is a son of Professor Ernest Barker of Cambridge, has for many years been a foreign correspondent of The Times, and of late its very able Diplomatic Correspondent. He can be relied on to be alert and enterprising without falling into the temptation of being cheap—good qualifications for his new post.

ANUS.