[2ndDivisionVet]

Covers a lot of territory.

[Talisker]

During the Spanish Civil War and, later, during World War II, there was a great deal of talk about fifth columnists. It was a reference to traitors, to those people in one's own country who provided propaganda or even more overt assistance to the enemy. I have no idea why the term has been retired.

Silly - the fifth columnists retired the term, of course! They saw the usefulness of the term in helping their enemies identify them, so they infitrated its use and retired it. THAT's real evolution in action.

[FlyingEagle]

“The Fourth Estate has become the Fifth Column.” That’s what Savage said.

[longfellow]

But it’s done beautifully.

[Erasmus]

I remember a time when most newspapers only had four columnists.

Then things changed.