26 JULY 1963, Page 11

WHOSE POISON GAS?

SIR,-1 was horrified with the ,fighthearted manner in which Desmond Stewart treated the recent allegations of gas bombing in the Yemen.

Whether poison gas was used or not and whether the Mutawakkalite regime was reactionary or not, surely it is against every concept of decency and international law fig one country to interfere in the affairs of another, as Egypt has done in the Yemen, Desmond Stewart implies that the feudal regime of the Imam was rotten and is better ended, but is it right that it should have ended in such a brutal and inhuman manner? The bombing, whether it be by gas or high explosive, of innocent civilians cannot be condoned.

ft is aways a pleasure to read your journal because of the support it gives to progressive forces, yet when it comes to President Nasser it does seem to me that you have a change of heart. In the past few

months Nasser's name has been linked with riots in Iran, an attempted coup in Syria (last week), the employment of German scientists on nuclear weapons and organised riots in Jordan but still there is no word of condemnation from the Spectator.

I would like to ask, how many more crimes must Nasser perpetrate before the Spectator decides to