[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
SIR,—Although I landed at Harwich only three months ago, and thus being a refugee who certainly does not know
much about England and her people, I venture to refer to Mr. Douglas Reed on his letter, " The Privileges of Immigrants." I hope you would not mind me saying some- thing against it.
As I understood this letter, Mr. Reed nearly charges us with the privilege of not being compelled to join any of the branches of the regular army of any English military formation. It made me feel for the first time since I came here that there are people who consider our presence in this country with envy. Just as if we would have chosen to leave our homes spontaneously and voluntarily and as if we intended to make a business of the permission to reside which the English Government generously presented to us. Do not people realise what it means being expelled from your country without anything but your bare life? If they would like to imagine our situation they should perceive what they have got to do, namely, to be happy of their good luck and generously try to help those who are suffering in so many parts of Europe. And as regards the " privilege of not being con- scripted," I dare tell you that I tried to join a special branch of the R.A. myself and I was told the fact of my non- English nationality makes my willingness impossible to be realised. Believe me, all those who came to this country as refugees are perfectly conscious of the attitude they should adopt as concerns England, and there might probably be no one who feels more the blessing of freedom like here than we who missed it for years perhaps.
I know—and not thinking of the inevitable few exceptions you will agree—the lot of us as well as myself feel most grateful towards Great Britain, and everyone is ready at any moment to accept all the duties English subjects have to accomplish. But what opportunity have we got to prove that? Let us join the forces and we will demonstrate how many grater ._II subjects your country has got in us.—Yours faithfully,
Neasden Lane, London, N.W. 10. H. MAYER.
Previous page
