10 JANUARY 1964, Page 16

SIR,—Mr. Jeffrey Myth's ill-conditioned letter in your issue of January

3 calls for an answer. He writes :

`If Mr. Churchill himself got out and met a few "working journalists" on his visits to the US he would have a more accurate idea of how British correspondents work in America.'

During my numerous but usually brief visits to the• United States I am more interested in meeting

American politicians and journalists than in meeting British 'working journalists.' (Incidentally, what does the phrase 'working journalists' imply—do some journalists do no work at all?) In fact, over the years, I have had a number of friends among British journalists in Washington and New York; the late Jack Broadbent of the Daily Mail was a very old friend of mine. Among those now resident in the United States who are friends I number Lady Jean Campbell of the Evening Standard; Mr. Henry Brandon of the Sunday Times; and Mr. Stephen Barber of the Sunday Telegraph. I always seek them out when I am in the United States and I have often observed how they-do their work, the results of which I greatly admire.

I also admire the reporting and writing of some other Washington correspondents as well; even that of those whom I do not know. Mr. Blyth gets hot around the collar because I wrote that 'too many British reporters re-write what they see in American newspapers.' I must say that I mainly had in mind the agencies in Britain and the United States.

I did not specify how many. If there be one, it is too many. If the cap fits, anyone who cares can wear it. I trust it will not make them hot around the collar.

RANDOI PII S. CHURCHILL