4 AUGUST 1917, Page 11

THE WAR AIMS COMMITTEE.

(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:1 Sum—Yet another Government Committee! This time it is formed "to keep before the Nation the causes of the War and the necessity for continuing the struggle until oar aims are secured." The Committee's four Presidents (why four?) are the Premier, Mr. Asquith, Mr. Boner Law, and Mr. George Barnes— all of them, one may presume, extremely busy men. There is also a new office in Downing Street, and a General Secretary. The Press generally appears to welcome this fresh indication of the Government's energy and high purpose, and now all we have to do is once again to "wait and see."

Do you, Sir, recall a story by E. A. Poe wherein he demonstrates that the best place in which to conceal, say, a letter is somewhere no conspicuous that no one takes the trouble to look there? Here we have the happiest illustration of Poo's wisdom. There is actually in existence a large Government Department, with branches in quite a umnber of countries, co-ordinated under • responsible and salaried chief, the aim and object of which is to carry on the very work for which this new Committee has been appointed. And the headquarters of this Department are—why, at the Foreign Office, in Whitehall, London. And that is how the Premier, and the Public, and the Press have all come to miss

it.-1 am, Sir, Ac., A. Cormerr-Sonrn (Major, R.F.A.).