LETTERS TO THE EDITOR the Festival of Britain. His opening
sentence reads: "Next year Britain Kittery Point, Maine, U.S.A.
throws her doors wide open in welcome to the world." There is great confusion of thought in the United States about the purpose of the Festival of Britain. We are told that Britain's doors are wide open, not for the spectacle of comMercial fanfare, but wide open to danger, owing to inadequate defence. The people of thiecountry are told that our taxes are to be very much increased, not only to supply the billions we need for national defence, but that we must help defend Britain, the bulwark of democratic civilisation.
Every day over the radio, in the Press and by appeals through the mail we are reminded of the need of Great Britain for our personal help. We are told, as a warning against national gluttony, of the meat ration of the British, and urged to send food parcels. We are instructed in the details of the economic plight of Britain. Yet in gaily-coloured and highly-priced advertisements in our best magazines appear attractive pictures, depicting the pageant of Britain. In these advertisements the Festival is described as a means "to demonstrate the economic stability of Britain."
It would seem ungracious and tin4.cricket to refer in thought or letter to the part played by American &liars in this now-heralded econonfic security. The result of these contradictory streams of publicity is utter bewilderment in the American mind. Private letters from Britain urge American friends not to come to Britain during the Festival. Organised commercial agencies urge the tourist to come. Many Americans who had made tentative plans to visit England next year have changed their minds for two reasons, one being the possibility of a general war, and the other being the dismay and distaste with which they regard the Festival. I was told last year in England that the Government expected to lose millions of pounds on the Venture, but, however disastrous were the losses on the roundabout, they would make it up on the swings. It didn't seem to make sense. The swings make some people dizzy.
Is this Festival of Prosperity decreed by the same authority which ordered the Festival of Austerity ? Are Americans expected to spend dollars for prosperity with the same sincere motive with which many of us have spent dollars to relieve austerity ? Americans are not being asked to support a Festival in 1951, but to pay for a war and for the rehabilita- tion of Korea and to prepare, on a scale hitherto undreamed of, for national defence and military operations. Our industries are building additions, so that material of war may be manufactured along with the peacetime commodities which are needed here and all over the world.
The American people are being told that they must not expect a
continuance of their high standard of living while other countries are facing severe shortages and increased austerity. We are being warned of shortages here and advised to take them with or without the grin. During two world wars Americans have grown accustomed to a variety of condemnation. We were told by Europe that we were fiddling while Rome was burning. Should we do as the Romans do now ? We need to have the true situation explained. I think it would be an act of America and the Festival • • patriotism on the part of the Spectator and a great favour to Amei n
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