A COLONIAL VIEW OF BRITAIN.
[To TEC Emma or THE " Sescrcros."1 Sie,—Will you grant space for a few thoughts of a Colonial? I have read your articles for years, in spite of the fact that I am a Democratic Colonial, and have been much instructed by the sane- ness of your comments on affairs of national importance. When I came to England I had a shock. The country is a fair land (I arrived in July), but the people interested me much more than the countryside or the climate. I thought I now no much arti- ficiality, no Mal convention that was empty and absurd. (I had the privilege of visiting widely.) Still huge gulfs kept class from class, in spite of this horrible carnage in France, where men of all classes, all shapes, all sizes, share common hardships. I saw some very rich people (that is nothing extraordinary, I grant you) and I caw some very poor people (poverty has its compensations), but what did strike me very forcibly was the awful surroundings of the slums, the squalor—dirty children in the gutter, and the usual tale of the public-house. .1 (lid thank God that our women of the lewd: class (that is if I may use the term for any of our women- folk) are not to be seen in public-houses or bars; it is looked upon as disgraceful. Their menfolk, I found, did not take a lively interest in their own welfare. They will take anything from a nicely dressed politician who wants their votes or from the Trade Union organizer. Why will they not try to think for themselves? I suppose it is because it is too much of an effort. They leave it to the politician to look after their welfare, and they are grievously disappointed. They must make sacrifices themselves, perhaps—mind, I am only suggesting this—drink a little less glorious beer, and buy good books and try to inetruct themselves, and they will probably find it a painful process, but the results would be well worth it.-1 am, Sir, Ac., G. II. Ifieistaes (Lee.-Corpl.), 9th Australian Yield Arab., P.E.F., Franca. [We should like to hear our correspondent's opinion when he has seen rather more of us. "There's something in the English, after all," may possibly be his opinion when he has penetrated the conventions. Meanwhile the remark that really touches no on the raw is that our correspondent has read the Spectator "in spite" of being a Democratic Colonial. We have not made our- selves clear if we have not conveyed to him that the type of demo- cracy familiar in the Dominions—self-respecting democracy that loves its country and admits the personal obligation of defence— is the very type we want here.—En. Spectator.]
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