THE NATIONAL CONSCIENCE AND THE WAR. [To THE EDITOR OF
THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR, —We can all concur in Mr. Mender's conclusion (Spectator, February 24th), "May God defend the right," but ween he says that the war "involves some of the best and noblest traditions of our race," I long to know how this should be_ Granting that the Outlanders were "oppressed," they were free to go elsewhere, and a contest between a Regular Army, backed by practically inexhaustible resources, and a home- keeping people of restricted population, with no end in view but their extermination, rather suggests Napoleon's war with the Tyrolese than the "noblest traditions of our race." This it is which touches the "conscience," in spite of the most honest desire to hold with one's own country. Disappointed as l- and others of your most appreciative readers—have been by
your unqualified adhesion to the views of the ordinary Press, I would yet beg you to insert this letter, the cry of
ORE PERPLEXED.
[If the Tyrolese had only occupied the Tyrol for one generation ; if daring that generation large numbers of Frenchmen had settled in the Tyrol ; if Innsbruck had become, in fact, a French city; if the Tyrolese, not
they were in a minority, had refused political rights to the French, had treated them with injustice, and, worse, with ignominy, and had spent vast sums on armaments in order to keep the French in the Tyrol 'under, and to prevent any help from outside, there might be something in our corre- spondent's analogy. As it is, it is purely misleading.—ED. Spectator.]
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