3 FEBRUARY 1956, Page 14

ESTABLISHMENT BODIES

SIR,—In your issue of January 20 Pharos speaks of Independent Television News 'solemnly' giving 'its list of Establishment bodies.' He says that incomprehensibly we omitted the ITA when its Chairman is the 'only person who holds two key positions in the Establishment.'

On that occasion I was the Newscaster (perhaps you will help our new word along, as we have done the same for yours). In elaborat- ing on Canon Collins's remarks, I certainly did not attempt to give, solemnly or otherwise, a list of Establishment bodies of my own. I merely quoted the organisations to which Canon Collins had referred in his sermon. He did not in fact mention the ITA.

In any case I am a little surprised that Sir Kenneth Clark should come so high on your Establishment black-list, after the interview he gave last week to my colleague Robin Day. He then allowed himself to be subjected to a series of unrehearsed and brutally searching questions about Aidan Crawley's resignation, and as to whether in general the ITA was doing its job properly. That does not seem to fit the pattern of behaviour which Henry Fairlie has detected in his highly placed behind- the-scenes fixers.—Yours faithfully, CHRISTOPHER CHATAWAY

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