We much regret to read the announcement that Mr. J.
A. Spender has ceased to be the Political Editor of the Westminster Gazette. He was for nearly 26 years Editor of the Westminster Gazette when it was an evening newspaper, and for the past few months he has been Political Editor of the Westminster Gazette in its new form. We frequently had occasion to differ from Mr. Spender's political views, but what we never failed to recognise in the Westminster Gazette, as it was conducted by him, was its real distinction. Mr. Spender was distinguished in his ways of thought and distinguished in his manner of writing. As a controversialist he was fair and urbane. It was always a pleasure to read the familiar green sheets of the Westminster Gazette. Nobody could afford to ignore it. It was an admirable illustration of the truth that a newspaper is not, or ought not to be, a machine, but that it succeeds in the best sense of the word only when there is personality and sincerity behind it. We cannot honestly say that the Inde- pendent Liberals have been much helped by the change of the Westminster Gazette from an evening to a morning newspaper. In its new form it seems to have more "machinery" and less personality.
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