28 APRIL 1917, Page 13

(To TB' EDITOR Of THE " SPECTATOR.")

SLR.—I noticed with the greatest pleasure the letter of your correspondent Mr. J. Forbes-Townshend in your last issue. At last it seems to be dawning on Britain that valuable assistance may be obtained from the boys of the Public Schools for work on the land, or in any other capacity the Government may think fit. At a time such as this, when the cultivation of the land is of vital importance to the country, education is a secondary matter; I am convinced that parents would only be too pleased to see their eons helping to bring in the harvest. As for the Public School boys themselves, there is not one of us who would not be delighted to have this opportunity of serving our country; for our greatest regret is that we are not over eighteen, and our chief topic of conversation at school is how and where we can got work to do. Taking only boys between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, who would be as able for the work as any woman or middle-aged man, a very large army of workers could be obtained. If we want a speedy victory, we must utilize the resources of the country to their utmost degree, and when labour is so scarce we cannot afford to overlook the help which could HO easily be secured front the boys of the country. "Send its anywhere you please, make us do any work under the sun, but for goodness' sake let us do some work ! " is the cry which comas from every Public School