THE COUNTRY'S WILL [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
Sta,—On my personal, admittedly rather limited, intercourse with men and women of this country and of England, I am struck repeatedly by the general distrust of the Government and of the Prime Minister. Whether this distrust is justified the unknowledgeable man in the street might be hard put to prove before any other court than that of his own circle of unknowledgeable friends ; but if, as I believe it is, the feeling is widespread, can you tell me, Sir, why that feeling has no expression, and certainly no influence, on the constitution of our ruling body.
Recruiting figures suggest that the men of Britain are confi- dent only in their ability to die for their country. It is not enough that we and our friends and our friends' friends should feel that Messrs. Churchill and Eden should be in the Government ; we are at the mercy of every chance pragmatist who tells us that we are not in a position to judge.
Who, then, is in a position to judge? Our Member whom we returned some years ago for quite different reasons? If it is true that we are unable to form opinions concerning the deliberate shaping of our destiny, then we are unfitted to be governed democratically. If we are unable to express those opinions to some effect, then we shall not be governed democratically, however much we are so fitted.
Today, we inarticulate and unknowledgeable men, and our newspapers, subscribe to the opinion that an agreement with Russia is an immediate necessity; while " this man doth pre- sent Wall, that vile wall which does these lovers—of peace— sunder : and through wall's chink, poor souls, they are con- tent to whisper: at which let no man wonder." Behind the wall sits a veiled figure attempting to correct the proofs of a grim chapter in the verdict of History—Yours faithfully,
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