" STEADY."
To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR"j am afraid that your article under this heading in last week's issue is liable to an interpretation which I am sure no one would deprecate more than yourself. "To steady the new men " ; "proposals that are wild " ; "to be slightly bewildered by very large figures," &c., &c., are phrases which convey a suggestion of veiled patronage and superiority, of which I am sure the Spectator is quite unconscious, and will take the first opportunity to repudiate. To a large extent the new Labour Party is akin to the movement led in France by M. jaures, and in Germany by Herr Bebel. In knowledge of economics the average Labour Member will compare, to say the least, with the average Member of any of the other parties ; the same may be said of the leaders; and it should not be forgotten that outside the House of Commons Labour counts many dis- tinguished names amongst its supporters. No doubt in the future proposals emanating from the Labour Party will be combated by the Spectator as strenuously as it has on the present occasion opposed the Protection propaganda. I believe you will be on the losing side, and it will be a source of satis- faction to.you, to look back on a square fight in which you
have treated your opponents with courtesy and respect from the beginning.—Trusting you will remove 'the possibility for
such a misconception, I am, Sir, &c., J. W. Salm 14 Glenloch. Road, Hampstead, N.W.
[We can assure our correspondent that the very last thing we desired to do was to seem to patronise the Labour Members. We are fully aware of the high standard of education among them, and also of the fact that the majority of them have experience in administrative work. However much we may differ from them, they will always receive courtesy and respect from us.—ED. Spectator.]
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