DEMOCRACY STABILIZED.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—At the end of four articles of very charming word- spinning—which convey an impression of the ' writer's temperament rather than a picture of the situation—Mr. Noel Skelton unfolds his plans for stabilizing Democracy (1) Co-partnership—which he calls " co-partnery " ; (2) Small ownership ; (3) Agricultural co-operation ; (4) The Referen- dum.
The first three planks in his platform are economic rather than political and best dealt with by private enterprise rather than by the State, whether in the hands of Socialists or of Tories. The Referendum is undoubtedly the greatest safe- guard Democracy could have and should be enacted by the present Government.
But let us assume that Mr. Skelton's programme is practical politics and fills the bill. He has remained content with floating his ideas in the Spectator and has stopped short of the active steps upon which their realization necessarily depends. We may hope that there are in the Tory ranks many thoughtful younger men like Mr. Skelton and that they mean business ; that they are, in fact, prepared to take their
coats off and have a real go in to drive their convictions home to the people. This work—very hard work—is by. name intensive propaganda. Words in the air or on paper are comparatively easy and cheap and, without real good solid work behind them, are of no more account than a sparrow twittering in a thunderstorm." The first thing for Mr. Skelton and his friends to do is to collect themselves together and settle definitely how they propose to set about stabilizing Democracy. At the same time, they must elect a leader who can lead and whom they are prepared to follow. The next step is to secure a competent staff and adequate financial resources. These things are much easier said than done, but Mr. Skelton and his friends must face the fact that, they will necessarily be exposed to the criticism of insincerity or futility unless they manage to do them.
Fortunately for them the necessary machine lies ready to their hand. The Labour Wing of the Conservative Party —rather a poor starveling at present so far as can be seen— is the machine to the wheels of which Mr. Skelton and his friends should put their shoulders. Mr. Skelton quotes Lord Balfour as saying that " Democracy is government by explanation," which means intensive propaganda, which means organization, which is a long name for work of a par- ticular kind. Hard, dull, grinding spadework—that is the task which confronts Mr. Skelton and his " progressive " friends. And the sooner they tackle it the sooner they will succeed in stabilizing Democracy. " Democracy stabilized " —Mr. Skelton's heading to his concluding article—is perhaps a trifle proleptic, but the work can be done if Mr. Skelton and his friends will mix their efforts in the following pro- portion : ninety per cent. work, ten per cent. words (pub- lished).—I am, Sir, &c., C. P. R.
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