OUT OF THE EAST AND THE WAY BACK SIR,—I do
not know anything about Mr. George Edinger, except that he is a journalist of brief ex- perience in the Far East. May I suggest, however, that it is a pity the Spectator should publish such virulent attacks on the Europeans of Malaya as that in his article of February 8?
Mr. Edinger flatters himself that he is blazing a new trail and 'penetrating into the councils and the confidence of Indians, Malaysians and Chinese': it is interesting that he does not include the Malays, the sons of the soil. He also suggests that the learn- ing of Chinese by a young European is discouraged in Singapore 'mainly because the language is beyond the powers of most of his seniors.' This is the sort of silliness that leads nowhere. Those seniors were once juniors, and as capable as any modern 'junior' of the Edinger breed of learning Chinese, had it been considered advisable. Doubtless they would find it beyond them at the age of fifty : the same would apply to any foreign language.
Has Mr. Edinger not discovered that all members of the administrative service, the education service, the police, the customs department, the agricultural service, etc., have to pass two (or in some cases three) written examinations with viva voce tests in Malay? —that some candidates take, in addition, Chinese, Tamil or Punjabi? Has he never seen a good District Officer or Assistant District Officer at , work in a Kampong or a resettlement area? Has he never . . . but one could continue indefinitely.
Many men from Great Britain have given their lifetime to helping the inhabitants of Malaya : there is no need to 'discover' what has so long been practised.—Yours faithfully, R. P. S. WALKER formerly Deputy Director of Education, F of M 2 Parkside Court, Meadow Way, Littlehampton, Sussex
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