Sir: The discussion of British member . ship of the European
Economic Cony munity should take place as an aced!' mic exercise in which one claim 15 weighed against another, one theori contrasted with another, but as part an examination of the condition of the nation. The country is threatened bY anarchy. The threat comes partlY be inflation, a menace that is likely to contained as not only the Conservative Party but even the cabinet come t°, recognise that the nation's nomina, purchasing-power must not be allow to exceed its resources, the product,! that its exertions and its natural wealtu enable it to offer for purchase. But the threat also derives, and most danger. ously derives, from the divorce betWeen government and governed. It iS divorce that is not unexpected: and informed and moderately well educate electorate needs to be heard bY representatives in Parliament; td political parties, as they are equiPP, `, with centralised and centralisin,' machinery by latter-day Newcastle, drive out both individuality and thet hearer that responds to popular reclue,s or popular approach. As a result tn't electorate has never had so little resPe,e,, for, so little faith in, Parliament. It nee7,. only a slight increase in disillusion !°: our whole system of representativ.' government to dissolve in discredit. Only a slight increase — and thing5 who live in Portugal well know! happen very rapidly these days as thos Continued membership of the EE-, will provide that increase. Even we': the institutions of the EEC fully CePte. sentative ones, the distance alone, t:11 problems of identity would suffer; Wik`e power not only in Brussels but in t", hands of irresponsible commissioner; the British electorate will sense at quickly augmented rate the frustratio1■0 that no appeals to patriotism, n recognition of a common origin, C01111 mon purpose and common destiny, Win be able to lessen or alleviate. Whe government, if representative institn' tions are to survive, should be comingd nearer to the people, it will be remove throughf ro from t them an e m inintocoamlipernehheannsdi incomprehensible eo pseyrsattei rnr! To say 'Yes', therefore, will not Meal federation nn ogtr to confederation nlfaardgeerra, tsi ot anbilne ,wphoiws; rt 1;1 lee nation and its institutions w"' supported and protected; it will rnAee f the end of those institutions, the er.le ordered and accepted government, t" triumph of anarchy.
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