On Wednesday Mr. Cecil Chesterton, the editor of the New
Witness, appeared at Bow Street on a summons charging him with publishing a number of libels concerning Mr. Godfrey Isaacs. Mr. Muir, the counsel for the prosecution, in his opening statement indicated the nature of the libels. In the course of his speech, which lasted two hours, the following conversation took place : " Mr. Chesterton : Is the Postmaster- General a party to this case ? Mr. Muir : Yes, most un- questionably a party to this case, because it is said of the Postmaster-General that my client was a party to a conspiracy with him." One would gather from the context that this statement also included Sir Rufus Isaacs. The proceedings a Wednesday closed with a suggestion by the magistrate that the defendant might wish to have an opportunity 0s considering his position before making his statement. Accordingly the summons was adjourned till Friday, on which day Mr. Chesterton said that he would reserve his defence and was committed for trial. Exactly what legal situation is created by Mr. Muir's announcement as to the Postmaster- General being a party to the case we have not enough technical knowledge to say, but we should like to express once more our satisfaction that the whole matter will now be considered in a court of law. There is nothing like a trial in open court for testing the value of charges such as those made in regard to the Marconi Contract. To judge by Mr. Muir's opening statement, no technical objections will be allowed to interfere with the fullest consideration of the whole subject. Now that the matter is sub judice we must of course withhold any com- ment in regard to it.
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