Garbles
Sir: A few important points in my article about Czechoslovakia (16 April) were un- fortunately garbled by your editorial grem- lins.
First, I actually stressed that the Prague Spring was primarily led 'from above', and driven forward by intellectuals and jour- nalists who were mostly still communists, or, at the very least, socialists. Hence the contrast with recent developments.
Secondly, the sentence which emerged as, 'Unlike in 1958, this society will not now lightly trust its communist rules,' should obviously have read,' Unlike in 1968 this society will not now lightly trust its Communist rulers.'
Finally, and most important, I could never have written, in the concluding sentence, 'This irresponsible old yeoman . . .' for Mr Navratil seems to men an example of the highest kind of responsibil- ity. What I wrote was 'irrepressible' — and long may he remain so.
Edward Marston
The Travellers' Club, Pall Mall, London SW1
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