(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—Your article "
The Duke of Northumberland's Charges " is very timely. It should be published and disseminated broad- cast. Most certainly investigation should be made and publicity
follow. Ignorance is at the root of most of our problems. Mr. Lloyd George is a genius at clearing the air when he chooses. He must know the facts. Why does he not give a clear statement to the nation on the Industrial Problem and mark the issues clearly?
Undoubtedly Revolution is not only the dream but the practical ambition of a powerful section of industrial leaders.
Like Germany, prior to July, 1914, they are waiting the psychological moment to strike this blow at the foundation of the British Empire. Of this there can be no doubt. Delays irritate this Bolshevik element, and they may be goaded by this irritation into a premature effort which will be quickly defeated; or they may, if they patiently bide their time, strike their blow and realize their terrible ambition. In my judgment their success or failure will depend not upon force of arms, force of organization, or force of union such as might conceiv- ably be brought about by an official strike and hold-up by all the unions of workers in existence, but upon the simple test of whether the issue on which they take direct action is " Just." Then they will be " thrice armed "—and a Soviet Britain will follow quickly. This is the awful peril from which the nation must be saved, and Mr. Lloyd George must keep a close hand on his impetuous henchmen or—! The Railway Strike, which might have been the prelude to revolution, failed because the strike was " unjust " and badly engineered; the miners' strikes and other strikes which are too obviously selfish will fail because public opinion, the mass of it, is dead against such partisanship. The new threatened miners' strike is weakened by the stupid demand for still more wages—and is doomed to failure. If the insistence had been on the simple issue of cheaper coal for the masses their cause would have been 100 per cent. stronger. So we are saved by their selfish folly.
Had the Government stiffened and taken sides with Poland against Bolshevik Russia, I believe Britain would have gone red in a month. If the " just " cause arises on the grand scale, then, and only then, will this evil of a revolution on Russian lines be thrust upon us. A revolution to-day with the expressed intention to secure a "Red" regime would fail ignominiously.
The " Reds " know that. Therefore they await some other issue, some just issue, on the tidal waves of which the other injustice may be brought about. Of all this I am convinced, and I always open my morning's paper in fear that the Govern- ment may do or allow some stupid thing to be done—like the increased railway fares=whieh, comparatively trivial in itself, might provide *he psychological opportunity for those who, with manifest impatience, are trying to wait for it.—I am,
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