You may recall that I reported over the telephone recently a conversation I had had on the 26th July with Mr. W.P. Crozier, Editor in Chief of 'The Manchester Guardian', in which I deplored the wholly unjustifiable campaign of the British press against our country. When he expressed his belief that there had been no direction or secret inspiration by the British Government I showed scepticism saying that these ignorant and unbridled expressions of opinion had been so widespread and so sustained that it was hard to believe that they were not inspired. He then said he would consult a press colleague, whose name he did not give but who, Mr. Crozier said, enjoyed in a special sense the confidence of the Government here. He has done this and his letter marked Private, of 2nd August – of which a copy is enclosed¹ – is the result.

The closing sentence of Mr. Crozier's letter refers to my asking whether a suggestion might not have been put quietly to the 'Lobby' correspondents – as distinct from a Press Conference.