THE CHURCH AND POLITICS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—As chairman of the Indugtrial Christian Fellowship, I am in a position to assure your readers that your corres- pondent "Not a Socialist" is mistaken in supposing that the I.C.F. is in any way whatever identified with a political party. The Executive Committee, which controls the policy of I.C.F., consists of men and women of all political parties and of some (like myself) who are not party politicians at all.
I heartily echo the advice of your correspondent "to make a careful study of the principles advocated by the majority of I.C.F. speakers specially before workers' audiences, and then judge for themselves." I have heard many such speakers, and there is no doubt about the fervency and honesty of their appeal for the real application of Christian principles to political and economic problems. I should be sorry to think that such an appeal identified them with any one political party. No doubt a speaker here and there may reveal his own party complexion—whatever the party may be. But my own considerable experience of I.C.F. meetings gives clear proof that the general tone taken by the speakers is very much the same as that of the resolutions promulgated by 250 Bishops at Lambeth in 1920.
It would hardly be unreasonable to ask our critics to study literature published by I.C.F. before they pass judgment on us.—I am, Sir, &c.,
J. A. LICHFIELD.
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