27 OCTOBER 1950, Page 3

I am glad to note the growing moderation of the

Minister of Health's language. Not so long ago he was characterising the Conservative papers in this country as " the most prostituted Press in the world " (this application of positive, comparative and superlative in the field from which the metaphor is drawn has always interested me). Last Saturday the Tory Press was merely " one of the filthiest in the world." That is a miti- gation for which full credit should be given. Both observa- tions, incidentally, indicate that Mr. Bevan possesses an acquaintance which most lifelong journalists would envy with the French, German, Spanish, Egyptian, Russian, Chinese and many other newspapers. We do not value the Minister of Health as we should.