MR. ANGUS WATSON'S LETTER
SIR,—Mr. Angus Watson's letter represents the view of many disinterested, but hesitant, business men. Nevertheless is it entirely free from that spirit of defeatism which was so prevalent in this country before the war, not only in political, but also in industrial and commercial, circles? It is a spirit which, instead of saying; "Ought this to be done? Then we will do it," always asks first, "What will it cost? " when confronted with any new enterprise. This is not the spirit which wins wars or builds up great commonwealths. It is a negative, not a creative, spirit, and that is why I call it " defeatism."
Wherever Colonials have gathered together during the last twenty-five years, they have asked themselves, " What is wrong with England? " and always they have agreed that it is this lack of imagination, enter- prise and courage—those qualities which, in the past, made England a Great Power, created the British Empire, and now it is to be hoped- are in process of transforming that Empire into a true Commonwealth of Nations. The object of the Beveridge Report is to obtain a necessary minimum of social security as a basis from which new enterprises can start. It is a fact that, in the past, the majority of great names in British history in every sphere have come from the middle classes where that security existed. From people crushed by poverty and insecurity, no creative enterprise can be expected, and equally little from those lapped in excessive wealth. It is therefore alarming to find that the spirit of defeatism—that spirit of " We can't afford this or that, however good it may be "—is still vocal in this country. DOMINIONEK. Settle Club, 69 Brook Street, W.1.
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