The debate on aliens is a case in point. It
is now admitted that the indiscriminate detention of aliens and also of British subjects under 18B was a mistake. The administrative arrangements made by the various Departments rapidly became chaotic. Mr. Morrison has the unhappy task of sorting out the muddle. It is well that he has sent Mr. Alec Paterson to Canada and imported a business man to bring order into the Home Office. But what a reflection, firstly, on the atti- tude of the Government and, secondly, on the Civil Service. Mr. Latham, Mr. Graham White and, above all, Miss Rath- bone showed a far greater mastery of the subject than the Government itself. But the speech of Dr. A. V. Hill will repay careful reading by all who care for British liberty. Speaking of the difficulties which confront any one of us in giving a detailed definition of war aims, he added, " but with many others who hold that view, I would urge that we should apply in our policy and in our actions now the main principles upon which later any stable and reasonable peace will have to be based. . . . If, without detailed definition, we can by our actions now give to our own people and to the world a clear idea of the principles upon which peace will be ultimately based, we shall provide the moral factor which will knit the peoples of the British Commonwealth with the Allies and their alien friends into an invincible striking force." With this background he proceeded to lay down a clear line of policy for the treatment of aliens.
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