24 JULY 1959, Page 5

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK the many readers who have

written to say how much they approve of the looks of the present 'emergency' Spectator. Some of them have urged that we should stay this way: but the difficulties, technical and financial, are insuperable. At a conservative estimate, it would mean that we should have to double the price of the paper. Except for emergencies such as this, it is not a practic- able proposition; and will be even less so, if the settlement—when it Comes—leads to any substantial increase in printing costs owing to higher wages or more overtime working.