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! Angel : These | WHY SCARED? ' book, Burgess excuses wont do - By CHAPMAN PINCHER LK many other Socia- list politicians, Mr. m Driberg overestimates the gullibility of the itish public, hus is clear from his new “Guy Burgess — a Portrait with Background,” in which he tries to excuse the behaviour of the renegade diplomat, whom he met recently In Moscow. The book abounds with im- 7 cthable explanation. Here are three :— 1 He quotes Burgess insist- 4” ing that neither hf-dhor his fellow diplomat Donald” \lactean was ever a Soviét-rermnt Yet Burgess admits thet Maclean was terrified when He fa@und out M.1.5 suspected hi Matlean fled te exile in Panic, deserting his wife w ws expecting # baby. Tr, oF TAN am TE: Machen rarer . a + | t | | ahd Nicolson, 12s. 6d ee Tf Maclean had not heen gif- ng information to the Russiays —as the security authoritigs low know he had—why was He so scared of being questioned ? Ds Burgess’s account of the flight stretches credulity too far. We are told :— It was by chance thal Burge.s had two tickets to France when he went to Maclean's home on the night they disappeared. It was by chance that he had hired a caf wiich was available Lo take them to the boat. It was by chance that the two diplomats hac enough foreign currency to get them to Prague. 3 It seems naive to acccpt *) Burgess's story that tne Russians kept both men in con- siderable luxury for six months without making any use of them —unless it was for services already rendered. +. . Mr. Driberg hopes his Fleet- street colleagues will feel some shame for what they have written about Burgess and Maclean. In my opinion there has been nothing in post-war journalism so shameful a5 this white washing of two men who are teritors by almost everybody's sifndards except Mr. Driberg’s. ‘Guy Burgess—a_ Portrpit with Background,” Weidenf#ld Buefijye Pee 271-103) DAILY EXgPcsS NOE DUR rie ee a IChio’, Bie on” ? ay yr, are, mores : ‘ ae, wo.