A BRITISH STATESMAN.
[To TEE EDITOR Or THE SPECTATOR."]
Sra,—At such a time as the present, when all hands are wanted at the pumps to keep the good ship afloat, we cannot afford to overlook any leaky valves. Leaky valves in the war machinery there are still, no doubt; although the most important were eliminated on December 5th, 1916, after it bad been proved beyond doubt that the pumps were working at less than half-pressure. It is, of course, quite unnecessary for any reader of the Spectator or other patriotic paper which has the good of its country deeply at heart to plead for the directing of attention to the real leaky valves, and to pursue them boldly without fear or favour, but he may perhaps be pardoned for entering a caveat against suspecting leaks where none exist. For instance, there is a thoughtless ten- dency in certain quarters unconsciously to play the enemy's game by entertaining doubts as to the whole-hearted integrity of perhaps the greatest patriot and the greatest statesman of to-day. It is not unnatural that any connexion, however distant, with the great dishonoured race should sow the seeds of misgiving in undis. cerning minds. It is therefore wise to dispel all mystery and to look facts in the face. The distinguished statesman to whom I refer owes all ill-informed and misguided criticism to his grand- mother, who was a German, although the wife of a pure-bred Englishman; his father was an Englishman, and never anything else than a British subject of strong British sympathies; his mother was wholly English; he himself is the staunchest, most single-minded and disinterested patriot that Great Britain can boast to-day. This is the testimony of one who, although he can trace his own purely British descent for over forty generations, is proud indeed to be able to number among his acquaintances a man sans pour et sans reproche.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Hoxr son en MAL v PERSIL [We have always regarded with the utmost abhorrence these dastardly attacks on a statesman whose patriotism is without stain, and who has spent his life in the service of the nation.—ED. Spectator.]
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