7 JUNE 1946, Page 13

SIR,—In a democratic country the existence of a centre party

is fatal because it can be succeeded only by the extreme Right or the extreme Left. The struggle between the Nazi party and the Comsnunist party in Germany in the early nineteen-thirties is a classic example of this. If the Liberal party is not to be a centre party it can either come out in favour of nationalisation and thus split the Labour vote to the advantage of the Conservative party, or oppose nationalisation and split the Conservative vote to the advantage of the Labour party. Either course would have exactly the opposite effect to that desired by the

Liberal voter.—Yours faithfully, CHARLES DAVIS. 6, York Mansions, Earls Court Road, S.W. S.