15 JANUARY 1916, Page 15

OPULENCE VERSUS DEFENCE.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:1

Sm,—Referring to your article in the last issue, as I understand them, Messrs. McKenna and Runciman argue that more workers cannot be spared for the Army, as trade would suffer propor- tionately. But do they realize that, taking the case of our exports, say £400,000,000 per annum, the profit upon which may be assumed at £100,000,000, which will only keep the war going for three weeks, it would be well worth sacrificing this profit if by employing more men in the Army we could shorten the war by three months 1-1 am, Sir, &c.,

Union Club, Trafalgar Square, S. TV. FRED. HAWKS, .