THE SUBMERGED GENERATION Sta,—If, as an unversed youngster now thinking
of my approaching absorption into His Majesty's Forces, I might take a little of your limited space, I should like to comment upon your correspondence from Sir Norman Bennett and Mr. Jordan. Both, I think, are partly right in their assessment of facts, but neither seems to realise that the issue is not a tangible one. Youth is, after all, merely a phase in life, and an impulsive, inexperienced phase at that. Is it really desired that the young should play a greater part in national, or international, affairs? Youth needs to be guided rather than to guide. " We," as the young have been called, in our total inexperience, are as little fitted to have our way as the irresponsible, vociferous, political heterodoxies.
It is as impossible a task to infuse the enthusiastic novice with the wisdom of long experience as to infuse the wearied expert with the energy of the young. Life is a thing which cannot be taught, it must be found anew by every generation. The young should always have freedom for the emanation of their own spirit of adventure and explora- tion towards life at large. Advice from elders has always been a bore to the young, and the changing vicissitudes of life- often render previous experience useless to the rising generation. Nothing can be done by those we term " they." With us, as with them, the world will be as we find it, and likewise, we, too, shall find our own paths to follow from one guide: bitter experience.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, B. R. WILSON. 7 Wepener Place, Leeds, 9.
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