An Open Letter to Lord Beaverbook

Crowley was expelled from Italian territory and deported to Tunis, despite a petition to Signor Mussolini, signed by all the leading citizens of Cefalù, protesting against such action. No reason was given for this expulsion, nor was any charge preferred, but your editor is doubtless correct in claiming the event as the reward of his lies. The result was to reduce Mr. Crowley, who was convalescent at the time from a long and dangerous illness, to absolute destitution. At seven days’ notice he was torn from his family, his library, and all the resources of his craft, and obligated to live in North Africa, from hand to mouth, with his life work indefinitely suspended and maimed. It was more than ever impossible for him to refute efficiently the lies of the Sunday Express. 7. Circumstances led to my undertaking the task of coping with the desperate position into which Mr. Crowley’s family and dependants were thus suddenly thrown, a task which he himself—penniless, and broken in health—could not then even begin. Thus I obtained first- hand experience of the vile mischief that can be done to innocent and defenceless persons by such abuse of newspaper power as your editor has been guilty of. I decided in the end, to put aside my own scientific work in order to — 9 —