Arnold Beichman
It was on a visit to the United States in December, 1958, that I first became convinced that Arnold Beithman ran the country. Wherever I went, he was there. Whenever I appeared on television or steam radio, he interviewed me. Nothing much has happened since to make me change my view. He flashed through London last week en route for a lengthy and mysterious visit to Saigon. I hope he sends us some copy. Just to fill in, he mailed from Geneva a splendid commentary on Cross-man's article in the July issue of Encounter: we'll run it next week. In this country some people would find it unusual that Beicbman doubles the role of being one of the fiercest fighters against Communism with be- ing chairman of the American Committee for Cultural Freedom. As I read his testimony in the case of Lenny Bruce, he was saying that he didn't think much of Bruce's work, but saw no reason why anyone should stop him listening if he wanted to. Them's my sentiments.
PS. His first scribbled letter from Saigon has just arrived. By coincidence a is partly devoted to deriding the short leader in the Observer which I criticised last week. Beichman's comment is much tarter than mine. David Astor replies in the correspondence columns.
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