US PASSPORT
SIR.—In Brian Moore's interesting review of Mary McCarthy. in the second paragraph, appear two errors which it is rather surprising that you passed. He refers to Miss McCarthy's essay 'pointing out
that the US Government denies passports to both Communists and racketeers.' It did, but it doesn't: the Supreme Court squashed the practice some years
ago. So Paul Robeson came to England to sing hymns in public meetings. and is now (I believe) in Moscow. A footnote in Miss McCarthy's book• would have saved Mr. Moore from his misunderstanding. and one may wonder briefly why none was inserted.
Mr. Moore also refers to Miss. McCarthy's dis- covei-y of 'the curious paradox that in America ideas
are immune from State interference but the people who hold them are not (Howard Fast may face gaol, but his books are in currency).' Not having read Miss McCarthy, I am not certain whether she or Mr. Moore has clouded the issue. If Mr. Fast ever faced gaol, it was not for his ideas, but because he had made untrue statements in affidavits, which is not quite the same thing.
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