Employment and the Old
SIR,—Colonel Pelly's Christmas message to the old: in your special number, seems to be that since they have ceased to be " productive" units and therefore " no longer of direct benefit to the State," they are rather lucky not to be liquidated. But, surely, whatever our age or abilities, we have rights as individuals, as well as duties to the State; and, descending to a material level, does not the worker earn rest in the evening of his (or her) years, as well as in the evening of his days, even if unable to share in the voluntary work to which many active younger people cannot contribute ?
Moreover, it is probable that many old people are taking out of the general pool much less than the excess they put into it in earlier years. I can agree with Colonel Pelly that those able to remain at their employ- ment should accept " subordinate positions," if feasible, but I doubt whether he would relish a batman's job, for instance.—Yours faithfully, ERNEST A. BARRETT. Two Stacks, Burney Road, Wesihumble, Dorking, Surrey.
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