THE HONEST OPINIONS OF MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL.
['To THE EDITOR OF VIZ " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—In your last issue there is a letter signed " G. P. t.," with the heading " The Honest Opinions of Mr. Winston Churchill." "G. P. B." endeavours to prove that Mr. Churchill's views on Socialism as set out in his book, " My
African Journey," are inconsistent with his present views on that much-discussed, though ill-defined, "ism." Surely it ought not to be forgotten that Mr. Churchill was bitterly
opposed by a Socialist candidate at South-West Manchester. And, further, I have before me the Times of May 5th, 1908, setting out a report of Mr. Churchill's speech on this very question of Socialism when he was contesting Dundee. In fairness to him, and to those who agree with him and are not Socialists, I would respectfully ask you to quote the
following :—
" There would no doubt be many Socialists there that night, and while there wero many Socialists for whose views he had the greatest respect, he would say to revolutionary Socialists that he recognised they were perfectly right in voting against him as Liberal candidate, because Liberalism was not Socialism, and never could be. There were immense differences of principles and political philosophy between the views the Liberals and the Socialists put forward. Socialism sought to pull down wealth ; Liberalism sought to raise up poverty. Socialism could destroy private interests ; Liberalism would preserve private interests in the only way they could be justly preserved,—by reconciling them with public rights."
There is no inconsistency between this platform statement and the views of the President of the Board of Trade as set out in his book, " My African Journey." The two statements
are consistent, and they are anti-Socialist.—I am, Sir, &c., M. P.
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