In the vineyard
Sir: I understand that much of the Labour Party's thinking emanates from Methodist chapels, and I therefore venture to suggest as a proper subject for a sermon the parable of the labourers in the vineyard and its application to modern wage differentials. You will remember that the subject of the parable was that some daily labourers who were paid their agreed wage grumbled and demanded higher wages because other labourers who had not Worked so long were paid the same wage. The grumblers got scant sympathy from their employer, and my own impression is that the Author of the parable would show even less sympathy for, say, engine-drivers receiving £2,000 a year who threatened to strike if lower paid workers were given an increase which was not shared by the engine-drivers. I put this point some years ago by letter to the present Lord Soper. He answered saying it was an "extremely significant point " and that he would deal with it the following Sunday in Hyde Park. This he did, and came out heavily against differentials. If this is still us opinion, it is a pity that he dc25 not give more publicity to it from his present position of eminence.
R. L. Travers Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall, London SW1
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