Telephone-Tapping John Harvey. Patrick Alarrinan, The Cyprus Bases Richard Feildat
The Monster of Piccadilly Circus Laurence Welsh, Richard C'lements, Wilfrid Tyldesley, Ann Fleming Asking for Air Accidents David Hollings, Peter Garner
TV Tubes Mrs. Joan H. Coleman
Moores' Code William Scott Really, Smith! Robert Jackson Crime and Sin Evelyn Seymer
Indeterminate Sentences J. E. Hall Williams
TELEPHONE-TAPPING SIR,—Your decision to publicise again the question of telephone-tapping is to be congratulated. Much of the frustration felt by those people alarmed at the current unfortunate distrust and unpopularity of the police is highlighted by this episode, in which indignation exhausts itself like a bull before the matador. If you go for the police, you are up against the Home Office; and if you go for the Home Office, you are told the Home Secretary has no power to interfere in the affairs of the police'.
An inquiry has been promised, but it is doubtful if anyone reposes great faith in it. No inquiry can ever be a substitute for a point of principle affirmed and acted upon. But the point of principle is never affirmed, never acted on and never conceded by the Government. Points of principle are no concern of the police. Policemen are the same the whole world over; we do not have, by and large, a better police force than those of other countries because our policemen are nicer, but because our governments have greater respect for the liberties of the subject. The police are a disciplined public service, like the army, the navy and the air force, and as such subject to the rule of law and control by the Govern- ment. It cannot be too often said that the present situation is the fault of the Government, not of the police, and I am writing as a supporter of the present Government. it is the fault of successive weak Home Secretaries. • Mr. Butler is a politician in a position of strength because he is widely believed to represent the pro- gressive section of the Conservative Party. Probably it' he had not been so cautious in the past he would already be Prime Minister. Is it possible that tor similar reasons he is going to let us down again? —Yours faithfully, JOHN HARVEY 55 Addison Road, W14
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