Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-26


Prime Minister Macmillan dug
in today for an about battle
with the Labor Party opposi-
ton and critics within his owr
Conservative Party over Lore
Denning's report on the Pro.
fumo scandal.
In his 55,000-word document
Lord Denning, Britain's second
highest jurist. held that Mr.
Macmillan and his ministers
failed in their responsibility BY
not discovering and dealing
with the romance between for
mer War Minister John Pro-
funo and prostitute Christine
Keeler.
The Evening News, which
supports the Conservative gov.
eminent, said Lord Denning's
finding is sure to bring on an.
other party crisis over whether
Mr.. Macmillan should continue
as leader.
The Prime Minister plainly
intended to fight back. He
scheduled a radio address tt
the nation tonight.
Harold Wilson, the Labor
Party leader, was expected to
renew his demand for a spe-
cial session of Parliament-now
in receSs-to discuss the report
Mr.. Macmillan has turned this
request down once.
Bitter Battle Due
The Evening Standard said
the Denning report has turned
the political maneuvering into
a bitter battle.
THE new atmosphere" the
Standard said, could persist
into the general election cam
paign, which experienced OBJ
servers now expect to be
turbulent and dirty"
The opposition Labor press
denounced Mr.. Macmillan as
incompetent. Even some nor
mally conservative papers said
the Prime Minister must
shoulder the blame for the
scandal that erupted into the
headlines three months ago.
Premier failed in Profumc
affair" the Conservative Daily
Telegraph said.
The Laborite Daily Herald
commented: THE Denning re.
port scotches any idea that Mr.
Macmillan and his senior min.
listers can be indicated of in.
competence in their handling
of the Profumo affair. 80"
Officials Seen at Fault
The pro-government Time.
said that since Mr.. Macmil.
lan's aides were misled by Pro.
fumo's initial denials of an af.
fair with the red-haired cal
girl they must expect to bt
judged at fault"
Nor is 1t clear" the Time.
added, that the Prime Min.
ister's reasons for leaving the
whole matter to his colleagues
were good and sufficient"
Lord Denning emphasized hi
had found no breach Of ma.
tional security. nor any truth
In widely circulated rumor,
that members Of the cabinet
INDUCED in wild sex lives.
But he said Profumo's con.
duct - his admission that he
had dated the l9-year-old cal
girl and had addressed her a,
darling" in a letter - was
enough TO create "a reasonable
belief that he had committed
adultery with such a woman"
1T was the responsibility Of
the Prime Minister and his col.
leagues, and OF them only, tc
deal with this situation" saic
the report. land they did moi
succeed In doing So"
The question OF a betrayal
Of state secrets arose because
OF Miss Keeler's friendship with
a Russian naval attache while
she was having the affair with
Profumo.
Profumo. husband Of Actress
Valerie Hobson, at first denied
TO Parliament there was any
improperly In his relationship
with Miss Keeler. In June, In
a statement resigning from the
government and Parliament, he
admitted he had lied.
Subsequent revelations at the
vice trial Of Miss Keeler's
sponsor, the late DR.. Stephen