23 JULY 1942, Page 13

Sta,—I am sorry that Mr. Rothstein should read into my

(I thought obvious) comments " anti-Soviet propaganda." I have a great admira- tion for the U.S.S.R. And I had supposed that one of the planks in its magnificent unity had from the first been authoritarianism—i.e., the suppression of those political views thought dangerous and subversive. If I am mistaken, and if the U.S.S.R. really believes, instead, in allowing free expression of political opinions not in accord with those of the State, all I can say is that it has itself, through its own government sneakers, conveyed a very erroneous impression. I think, if they have misled us all these years, the fault is not ours. But I cannot believe that they have ; or that they have not the courage of their own convictions in this matter. They have built, on the authoritarian basis, a magnificent State ; its lack of political liberty needs, surely, no apology. CLUSIUS.