◆ SpookStack

@ take a topical instance, it was years before the security anfhorities could be persuaded to allow a film of The i Busters to show (as the book had not been allowed to shoh} | how the dans were attacked: and the director was forbidden - io show how the bomb was actually laanched from the aircraft, This information had bees gived to the Russians. at the time, and was common gossip in RAF messes subsequantlys the general principle of the bomib release, too, could be guessed by anybody with a knowledge of ballistics, on seemg the film. Yet this information is still on the secret Het, The reason is simple: the security authorities depend for their livelihagd on having & good supply of information to keep secure. They do not want to make theniselves redundant by admitting that the whole paraphernalia is a farce. ss But it is. Security naw exists, in the main. for pve purposes. Primarily it is designed w appease US public opinion, As the admirable leading article in Wednesday's Manchester Guardian shows, this is largely time wasted. If Americans want to believe ‘thai Burgess and Maclean were responsible for China’s decision | io attack in Korea, they will—tike Mr. David Lawrence, of the US News and World Report—continue to believe it, even to inventing facts and bnoring dates to their cava taste, The other ig to act asa national patent office, to ensure that new ideas. are. scooped up too quickly by foreign rivals—a commercial 33 We} as a mullary transaction. The point is that the day @f sechrity as @ mystique is over. To worry about it fo the extant of #itch-hunting is not merely Bberal: itis downright silly! ferent No AR Nancy aac a Mae Anata a Nene enED = etme i