13 JANUARY 1939, Page 6

The appearance of yet another weekly News Letter on my

desk—the Arrow, bearing no indication of authorship or standpoint—makes me wonder what future this reversion to a historic form of journalism has. I should fancy not much, for it is not obvious what need the News Letter fills. Its function, in spite of its name, is obviously not to supply news. It is far too slight to have any value in that respect. Actually in the various existing News Letters one or two items of news are taken as basis for editorial interpretation or comment, and when the editor is someone whose views command respect, the sheet in which he expresses them will attract subscribers. But I should predict no length of days for News Letters without marked personality behind them.