Evening star., 1951-06-10
Diplomats
CONTINUED From First Page.)


reted through continental hide
outs, but no certain trace of either
had been spotted since their trail
went cold in Rennes, France, two
weeks ago today. Fears mounted
here that the pair may have de-
camped or been spirited to the
Communist east with British
American secrets.
Burgess is the 40-year-ol
bachelor and expert on Marxist
lore recalled from his job as sec
ond secretary of the British en-
bassy in Washington after he used
his diplomatic immunity to get
out of three jams for speeding in
Virginia February %.
Edgy as he awaited reassign-
ment, he vanished Is days ago
with MacLean, SO, scholarly but
debonair chief Of the Foreign Of
fees American department. Mac
Leans American wife, the former
Melinda Marling of New York, is
expecting their third child shortly
The Foreign Office, concerned
by theories ranging up to the pos
sibility the pair might be headed
for Moscow under duress, made
public yesterday three cryptic
cablegrams from the continent to
their relatives. The kilograms ap-
peared to have been filed in their
behalf by one or more mysterious
strangers.
MacLean Sent 2 Messages.
Authorities specified that two
from MacLean-which went to his
wife and his mother, Lady Mac
Lean-were filed at the Paris CEN
trail postof1ce. The implication
was that Burgess also was filed in
the French capital.
Directed to his mother, Mrs. j.
r. Bassett, it said: Terribly sorry
for my silence. Am embarking on
long Mediterranean holiday. Do
forgive. Guy"
Revelation today by a Foreign
Office spokesman that this mes
sage came not from Paris but from
Rome gave rise to two new
theories: That either the two now
have split up or have moved east
ward together.
The Foreign Office spokesman,
William Ridsdale, again emphas-
lied that no secret documents are
missing. He was denying reports
published here that some secret
papers on Atlantic defenses could
not be found.
MacLean dealt in top-policy mat
ters for the British government.
He was consulted on the Atlantic
alliance, British American rela-
tions, Korea and other topics.
Burgess, too, a brilliant if occa-
sionally ill-groomed man. was in
a position to know high inter-
national secrets.
No Theory Excluded.
Mr.. Ridsdale was asked at his
regular news conference if it is
believed the two men are still
together:
THE search is going on and we
have no information as to their
whereabouts" he replied. 1--WE
are not proceeding on any hard
and fast theory, but are taking
every step to try to get into touch
with them. We are not excluding
any theory"
Asked why the Rome angle was
disclosed only today, Mr.. Rids-
dale limited that Britain's intelli-
gence and counter espionage
chiefs were keeping some details
even from the Foreign Office to
give their men in the field the
benefit of secrecy.
Rome police confirmed that the
Burgess message was filed in Bur-
CESS name Thursday. They
combed Rome hotels for him in
vain. Police noted it would have
been possible for both men to
have flown to Rome from Paris in
a few hours, once they were
through the guard French police
have set up at airports and from
tier posts.
Friend Lives on Cyprus.
The British Press Association
said Burgess has a friend, a for
mer member of the British For
eign Service, living on the Medi-
terranean island of Cyprus.
If person wished to get in