[To THE Eorrog Or THE "SPECTATOR. "] SIR,—Mr. Mallet in his
criticism in your last issue of Lord Hugh Cecil's letter forgets entirely that that letter was addressed only to moderate Liberals. Now Mr. Mallet talks a deal about moderation on his side, and "vehement exaggera- tion" on the other. He takes his views from Mr. Asquith and Sir Edward Grey, &c. But alas for Mr. Mallet's modera- tion, it falls from him like a cloak towards the end a his letter, and exposes to view the rabid Radical. Hard words, perhaps; but what of this sentence from Mr. Mallet's
letter ?—" The reasons for this action [of the Lords], as everybody knows, are reasons of selfish interest and of party tactics, nothing else ; and their nature will not be concealed from the country by flimsy attempts to get up a. Socialist scare." Therefore all those who oppose the Budget, that "good and strong bridge to Socialism," are liars and hypocrites. Lord Rosebery, who says " it is not a Budget, but a revolution," was influenced to make his great speech at Glasgow simply by "reasons of selfish interest and of party tactics, nothing else" ; and by the wish " to get up a Socialist scare." Of course Mr. Balfour's speech at Manchester and Mr. Chamberlain's letter were caused by the same motives. And these are the three leading names among the statesmen of England. I can only hove that Mr. Mallet will on reflection have the grace to be ashamed of himself. But the sentence above quoted puts Mr. Mallet beyond the reach of argument and his letter outside the pale
of discussion.—I am, Sir, &o., J. F. M.
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