Kingsley Martin
Sir: I must have read half a dozen reviews of Mr Rolph's biography of the late editor of the New Statesman and was appalled to see how they all seemed to go out of their way to water down any criticism of Martin. This is of course to be expected of the trendylefty press (which is practically the whole of Fleet Street these days) but I was quite taken aback when the reviewer in the Daily Telegraph, referring to the fact that in 1938 the New Statesman had at first favoured the carving up of Czechoslovakia to appease Hitler and then, shortly afterwards, attacked the Times for saying the same thing, described Martin's volte face as "inconsequential."
Clearly, the only possible word to use was "unprincipled." I suppose we must soon expect Peter Simple himself to turn trendy-lefty.
It was therefore refreshing to see that the Spectator (April 2)) had the guts to call a spade a spade and to sum up the career of the late unlamented in the phrase: " he cheated and lied and edited." It must have made George Orwell, who suffered badly at Martin's hands, sleep more easily in his grave. It happens that I read your review on the same day as an article by Bernard Levin in the Times attacking the unspeakable Mr Wilson in which he referred to the Russian occupiers of Czechoslovakia today as "swine." It was undoubtedly le mot juste and it is good to see that some writers are still able to call people by their proper names. As this must be the first time I have ever written a complimentary letter to the press, may I enter one caveat. You ended your review by saying you wish you had known Kingsley Martin. 1 should have thought one needs the acquaintance of liars and cheats like the proverbial hole in the head.
PS. If 1 might be permitted the eccentricity of a postscript on a completely different topic, Mr Wyllie, in the same issue (April 21) supports Professor Yudkin in his condemnation of white sugar but goes on to advise using honey instead. Sadly I must tell him that honey is more or less as harmful as sugar. My authority for this statement? A letter received just recently. From Professor Yudkin. L. E. Weidberg 14 Templewood Ave, NW3
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