ON THE DOLE
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—As a member of the public with moderate views, and a dislike of those of extremists in all matters, I admire your paper for the moderation and fairness with which you set out both sides in all controversial questions, though this attitude is not characteristic of your correspondents, judging from the letters published on the Palestine troubles. But Mr. Greenwood's article " On the Dole " in your issue of July 17th is quite astounding to those of us who live in country districts. Near me here a man is supporting his wife and three small children on a wage of 31s. a week (soon to be increased to 32s. by a decision of the Agricultural Wages Committee), for which he works hard for 50 hours a week. I can imagine his envy of Mr. Greenwood's Glasgow family of four with their. total wage earnings of 65s. a week. But as the father is not working and is free to make himself useful in the house, he is to be granted under the Unemployed Assistance Board's new regulations a further 7s. 6d. a week, which will be partly paid for by my friend out of his pipe of tobacco and his wife's cup of tea. Mr. Greenwood may say that two blacks do not make a white, but in estimating the darkness of the two cases his sympathy seems to be sadly misplaced.—Yours faithfully, Kintsbury House, Gloucester. J. H. PERCIVAL.
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