7 APRIL 1950, Page 5

The Daily Telegraph must treat its Editors well, they last

so long. The record, I imagine,-is held by Sir John Le Sage, who served the paper for 60 years, nearly 40 of them as Managing Editor. He retired in 1923 and, after a brief tenure of the Chair by Mr. Fred Miller, who died suddenly, the present Editor, Mr. Arthur Watson, whose retirement is now announced, succeeded. Few editors of great London papers have held office for as long as the 26 years which Mr. Watson has covered. Of the value of his services Lord Camrose, the proprietor of the Telegraph, has spoken convincingly, though, indeed, for those who know Mr. Watson no testimony was needed. Active though he still seems and is, he amply deserves the retirement he will now enjoy. Mr. Colin Coote was the inevitable successor. He has sat in Parliament, he served The Times for twenty years as parliamentary sketch-writer and leader writer, and he has been on the Telegraph for eight years, latterly as deputy- editor. Under his direction there will certainly be no lowering of standards. At present 56, he might conceivably equal Mr. Watson's 26-year record. Mr. W. W. Hadley is still Editor of the Sunday Times at well over 80.

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