27 JULY 1956, Page 26

Dear Old Press MR. ALAN Prrr ROBBINS. former news editor

of The Times and now secretary to the Press Council, has written a congenial volume on the British press for the 'Pageant of Progress series. I cannot feel that his attempts in News- papers Today (0.U.P., 12s. (Id.) to describe the various technical processes are successful (I don't think they can be described: they can only be demonstrated); and at times his un- relenting determination to be nice to and about everybody becomes wearisome—he can hardly mention A without saying that B, too, is won- derful; nor must he forget C; and no offence meant to dear old D. Still, provided nobody Is taken in by his implication that the press is haven for saints and scholars, this matters little. As a general account of what goes on in news* paper offices (on the sunny side) it is good.

IVOR BRIEN