SOMETHING WHICH The Times did publish this week was a
letter from Mr. Louw, the South African Minister of External Affairs. And very revealing it was. Mr. Louw complained that Mr. Gerald Gardiner had been sent as an observer to the South Africa 'treason' trial on behalf of Christian Action, the Bar Council, and an organ- isation representing the main political parties. 'One wonders,' said. Mr. Louw, 'why the British Communist Party was excluded?' It is surprising Mr. Louw should think this little smear would be effective here. But in the circumstances he can hardly object to my smearing him. In the South African Parliament in 1939 he introduced a notorious amendment to prevent Jewish immigra- tion on the grounds that Jews were Communists. Mr. Louw went on to complain that Mr. Gardiner and British newspapers have infringed the sub judice rule by commenting upon the 'treason' trial. All Mr. Gardiner in fact did was to state without comment the undoubted truth that, so far at least, the case for the prosecution consisted of statements made at meetings which took place eighteen months ago. Whether the sub judice rule should apply to what appear to be political manoeuvres as well as to normal legal cases is another question, but I should have thought not. In any case the most blatant breaker of the rule has been Mr. Louw's fellow Minister, Dr. Donges.
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