◆ SpookStack

f \ material for “ Burgess and Macfean,” ” , a recent book by Anthony Purdy and Douglas Sutherland. - According to this story, Philby said ~ that shortly before the B. and M. dis- appearance he had received a report from the Foreign Office stating that Maclean was one of three cials under suspicion of having leaked in- Ce ee ee ee formation t6 Russia. Pailby admitted ihat he had discussed it privately with Burgess (who had by then moved in as a lodger in Phitby’s Washington house), There was no obvious reason, Philby claimed, why he should not have mentioned it to Burgess since he _ was 4 (trusted colleague, also engaged © “an security work and, as the White Paper made olear, not under suspicion at the time. ‘ , _ Though Philby was then regarded as * having had no underhand motive, he , was asked to resign. A different version was given yester- day by Douglas Stuart, B.B.C. Wash- ing(on correspondent. He said Philoy had told him in 1958 that it was he who had narrowed down the suspects to Maclean, British security officials wanted to arrest Maclean at once. Philby and his Embassy seniors wanted to Jet Maclean alone in order to discover others in the spy ring. They compromised—Maclean was to be shadowed and secret papers __ withdrawn from him. Philby told | * tuart that he was furious since this ethod would only alent Maclean. ‘Business offer’ Philby’s reconstruction of what took Place in London was that Burgess went to see Maclean, Knowing nothing of the jatter’s spying activities, and Maclean ° used Burgess to arrange his getaway. After three days’ interrogation (Philby claimed) those who had thought him etther guilty or innocent of the tip-off were unchanged in their ooinions, and he resigned because “my usefulness was at an end.” ; For Philby, with a promising career abruptly cut off, there now began a lean period of three or four years, It is also an obscure passage in his life, | He came briefly into The Observer's orbit in the summer of 1952 when, after he had approached the paper at the suggestion of Malcolm Mug- geridge, he was given accreditation in - Madrid. Aller sending two . news > pieces to The Observer Foreign News Service (both sent out to subscribers with a confidential covering note to editors reminding theny who Philby was} Philby resigned, saying that he : | women tetlinadiy. 4 ese was accepting an “attractive business offer.” it is mot known what this was. Around 1953 he got as far as an inter- view (ia the Reform Club) for the foreign editorship of tbe Spectaror, but did not get the job. His means ow, of livelihood are obscure for the next wa” 4wo_ years or so, but with a wife snd" t,> ~ et neater ake ci ra Sia > : RT ok 2 aS mii ae tes Se ilies Laie ee! anh? Eat tc A ™ ae nee we ae . ial te er. ee ie a cos Ce aa ind re Screens