[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—The aims and
objects of the "League of Good Citizens," as described in your article of May 14th, must meet with tho sympathetic approval of all who desire to prevent this country drifting into revolution; but could not the proposed scope of its activities be advantageously increased? A fire brigade need not necessarily remain idle awaiting a conflagration; their services can be usefully employed in precautionary measures to prevent an outbreak of fire. Similarly, the League, in addition to its other duties, might well undertake an active campaign to prevent the Communist and revolutionary parties gaining fresh adherents. Lenin has been credited with the statement that if in this country 15 per cent. of the population were to become active Communists a revolution would be successful. It is also estimated that close on £40,000 a week is being spent by the extremists for this purpose. What is being done to counter these efforts?
There are certain societies engaged in counter-propaganda work, some good, some indifferent, and some decidedly re- actionary, but it is doubtful whether their total annual expenditure equals the amount spent by the Bolshevik element each mo-ifth. Moreover, instead of actively co-operating, they are in many cases competing with one another for membership and support. If the League of Good Citizens would include in their aims and objects propaganda for educating the apathetic and, in many cases, ignorant masses on elementary economics and industrial problems of the present day, it is doubtful if their services would ever be required for their first three objects. If 15 per cent. of a population can bring about a successful revolution, it means that the large majority, through ignorance, or apathy, or both combined, are at the mercy of a small and active minority which is utterly opposed to all prin- ciples of democracy. The country requires a league that will rouse the remaining 85 per cent. of the population to a sense of impending 'tenger, not necessarily by undertaking propaganda work itself,-but rather by local committees of the league sup- Porting by every means in their power those propaganda societies working in their areas whose activities meet with their approval.
There is an old story of a bridge toll-keeper who was so busy in collecting fares from the continuous stream of passengers that he had no time to attend to the foundations of the piers
which were being undermined by the current. To use a simile, would it not be better for the suggested League to take steps to repair the damage already done, and prevent it increasing. rather than to wait till the bridge collapses? Too many people regard industrial unrest as a personal matter between em- ployers and employed. Merchants, bankers, brokers, shop- keepers, in fact, the majority of those who work with their brains and have but little direct dealings with labour, are apt to hold aloof as if these matters were no concern of theirs. They singuarly fail to realize the psychological effect of revolu- tionary propaganda on ignorant masses, who have but little opportunity of having its dangers and fallacies explained to them.
A league as suggested is necessary to rouse them to a sense of duty; to point out to them that personal services and financial help are urgently required to strengthen the pillars of the bridge across which the wealth and prosperity of this country flows, and that if, like the toll-keeper, their fail in thefr duty the under-current of revolution will bring down with a crash the structure which not only upholds their own means of liveli- hood but on which the whole basis of the Empire rests. The Prime Minister stated in Parliament that he has unlimited confidence in the good sense of the British working classes. The same might be said of the Russian peasants, but having through ignorance and apathy allowed themselves to come under the domination of an active and unscrupulous minority, they are now unable to free themselves or reverse the policy that has brought their country to ruin. A League of Good Citizens should be actuated by two main principles, both of which entail a certain amount of personal sacrifice. Firstly, by propaganda to avert the threatened revolution. Secondly. to be prepared for the revolution if their other efforts prove fruitless. As -prevention is better than cure, it is earnestly hoped that the first of these principles will be embodied in their
programme.—I am, Sir, &c., E. Pornee RR,
Financial Secretary.
Industrial League and Council, Grosvenor Mansions, 82. Victoria Street, S.W. 1.
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