We have written in our first leading article about the
persistent abuse of the Prime Minister in certain news- papers. When writing the article we were in two minds whether to mention Lord Rothermere and Lord Beaverbrook as the owners of the papers which conduct this campaign of abuse, for •we have learned from experience that as a rule it is undesirable for newspapers to attack one another by name. Space taken up by futile hostilities would be better used for other purposes ; and there must always be a doubt in the reader's mind whether what may be called a professional attack is wholly sincere. Also it is very unpleasant to turn upon one's colleagues. For these reasons we should have preferred to say what we thought without mentioning any names. But after all we decided that that would not do because it would be perfectly clear to our readers what newspapers we had in mind, and vagueness might have been taken as signifying timidity or a lack of conviction. We certainly do not want to be " willing to wound and yet afraid to strike." Innuendoes are rightly more unpalatable than precise accusations. * * * *
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