7 NOVEMBER 1941, Page 12

THE CONTROL OF REUTERS

Sut,—I am one of many who do not agree with " Janus " in all his comments upon the recent sale of shares affecting the control of Reuters, especially his statement that the " agitation " in the House of Commons is singularly hard to understand. Such comments would be justified if we were living in an ideal world, free from base intrigues ; and in view of all the circumstances, I consider that Mr. Storey's objection to half Reuters' shares falling into so few hands was fully justified. The new Reuters' Trust will now safe- guard all the shareholders, and also the News Agency itself. There is surely no harm in having an extra bolt on the door in view of the vast changes in international relations which have already taken place, and of the complicated after-war settlement in the occupied countries which will require the best statesmanship the world possesses. The best answer to " Janus " is the fact that the repre- sentatives of both the London and Provincial Press agreed to the formation of a Reuters' Trust, which they surely would not have done had they considered that no such safeguard was necessary.—