16 APRIL 1983, Page 21

Mersey sound

Sir: Congratulations to Richard West (2 April) on his incisive summation of Liver- pool's economic and social difficulties, and in particular, his fearlessness in ascribing these to their true source, namely, 'the Irish'. This profound and comprehensive analysis of the dump's problems (plus Final Solution), miraculously occupying less than a page of your journal, reminded me of nothing more vividly than the reflections of that other great political thinker, Heinrich Himmler, and prompts me to inquire whether these intellectual giants ever met?

John Owen

Flat 4, 8 Aigburth Drive, Liverpool