Behind the Times
The Times survey of 'Britain Today,' con- ducted among the Who's Who-ers, certainly seems to justify the claim that 'Top people read The Times,' but some of its other implications are a little alarming. It really is fantastic at this time of day that 69 per cent of those interviewed should regard the Commonwealth as being 'very valuable' while the relevant figures for the UN and the Common Market are 44 and 42 per cent. Of course, those listed in Who's Who cannot be regarded as in any sense a represen- tative sample of public opinion. Inevitably the great majority of those questioned were from older age groups whose political opinions were formed before 1939, and who, therefore, react with instinctive reverence towards bygone fetishes. The Commonwealth is a British official myth which is now becoming shadowy. The fact that it is substantial for a majority of 'top people' simply shows that they arc behind the times in every sense of the phrase. Hence these tears. Since the war our top dinosaurs have done their best to ruin us.
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