SIR,—Professor Brogan's admirable article points to one side of the
question only : encouragement of the wealthy tourist for the hard currency which he will bring. Foreign travel should nowadays be regarded not as a luxury, but as a prime necessity to true international understanding. Thus, while providing facilities for all classes of tourist, I suggest that we should, as a long-term policy, above all encourage the envoys of culture and learning—artists, professors and especially students—to visit us. Such people are notoriously impecunious, and will not individually bring large currency receipts. Yet the mind of a nation is largely formed by its intellectual leaders, and their frequent -visits abroad will very substantially increase national wealth by promoting a closer inter- national understanding and a greater security. If, because of our present finances, we can now encourage only the wealthy tourist to visit these Islands, let us at least recognise that the necessity is a regrettable and
a temporary one.—Yours faithfully, OLIVER H. LAWN. 40 Pembridge Villas, Notting H:11, W. ix.
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