Like the rest of the world, we have been touched
by the generosity and public spirit of the anonymous correspondent of the Times who announces that he is going to take a largo sum of the new Loan and cancel it, as a contribution towards his country's needs. Unhappily only a small number of men will be able to follow his lead, but is there not a via media for poorer men or men with greater claims upon them ? There are many people who are not in a position to cancel Loan Stock absolutely, but who might be able and willing to take a compara- tively short terminable annuity instead of perpetual stock. Why will not somebody set an example in saying to the Treasury "I hold a hundred thousand, or ten thousand, or one thousand, or one hundred pounds' worth of perpetual stock. To help my country I shall be perfectly willing to have it reduced to a terminable annuity to run, say, for sixty-five years." If the Government will make it known that such an act would be a patriotic act, we believe that they might get imitators to the tune of many millions. We are sure there will be men able and willing to give a lead, if only the Chancellor of the Exchequer will say that he approves of and values the-suggestion.
Previous page
