SIR,—I should like, if I may, to reply in a
few words to Mr. Davies and Mr. Bidmead.
Mr. Davies may perhaps recall Mr. Churchill's observation that " the use of recriminating about the past is to enforce effective action at the present." The purpose of my letter was not to resurrect the controversies of the past, but to show that if after the war the Liberal Nationals still entertain the views which they held; or appeared to hold; from 1931 to 1939, there is no basis for agreement in the future.
Mr. Bidmead is no doubt an authority on Federal Union, and, AS he knows I agree with him that federation is the only method by which, because it entails the abrogation of national sovereignty over armaments and armed forces, a really effective peace-keeping organisa- tion can be achieved. But, if he will forgive my saying so, the domestic affairs and record of the Liberal Party are subjects with which he is imperfectly acquainted. He even repeats Mr. Stein's groundless assertion with regard to rearmament refuted by Lady Violet Bonham Carter in her letter last week.
Like Mr. Bidmead, I welcome the recent accession to the ranks of the supporters of the federal idea of " the distinguished chairman of the opposite camp." Those ranks include distinguished members of all the political parties. No doubt Mr. Hore-Belisha will soon be campaigning for the principle of federation with the same zeal and eloquence with which he advocated Free Trade in 1923, or with which he proclaimed in the spring of 1931 that the Liberal Party
ust at all costs preserve its complete independence. I understand, wever, that the pronouncements of • their chairman are not an allibie guide to the opinions either of the leader whom he pre- tunably follows or of the rank and file over whose deliberations he resides.
suffice it to say that to the best of my knowledge all who are 'Ong to embrace or re-embrace Liberalism are welcome in the 'beral Party, and if and when the Liberal Nationals are prepared
o stand on their own feet and sacrifice their Conservative associations
o their Liberal principles we shall be delighted to work with them ain. But in the meantime we must be excused if we find it difficult to welcome back returned prodigals who are unable to shake off their
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