LIBERALISM AND LIBERTY
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—" The Fading of Liberalism " coincided, as " Orion " implies, with the change of the old freedom-loving Liberalism to the paradox that the Liberal State should have to inter- fere more, in order to be truly Liberal." Once interference with the freedom of individuals began to be acknowledged as a means of social reform, the Party became the happy hunting- ground of every cranky minority that sought to enforce -by political means the " reforms " that it could not bring about by persuasion.
These people were tolerated so long as Liberalism could ;dill wave the flag of liberty with measures according with its ancient mission, such as Manhood Suffrage, Irish Home Rule, Welsh Disestablishinent, and the Land Laws. But When these passed into the limbo of accomplishment, and there seemed to be. nothing to take their place, the cranks became the more conspicuous. Did a local councillor bring about the closing of parks or museums on Sunday, or deprive the workhouse inmates of Christmas beer, or oppose dancing, or card-playing, or mixed bathing, or games, or smoking, or flirting, or boxing, or theatre-bars, or music-hall liceneas, he was sure to be in the habit of proclaiming himself a Liberal and his fads as Liberal principles. So the younger generation, already in a state of reaction after the War, and forgetting the Party's past achievements in the cause of liberty, came to regard Liberalism as a kind of political Mother Grundy, Whose objects were the very reverse of liberty.
To recover itself, Liberalism must either -publicly discard the cranks, or it must find some new flag of freedom to wave to distract attention from the futile interferings with personal liberty on the part of its followers. —I am, Sir, &c.,
SIENCYN.
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