[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Sta,—Mr. P. A. Sloan
needs to make out a much stronger ease than he has done if he aims at convincing others that he is handling it impartially, and not as a partisan of Russia. Presumably he is a Socialist, one of many, alas ! who exhibit not an atom of that charity that " hopeth all things " when the basest of crimes are imputed to their fellow countrymen, and consequently no pity for them in their hard fate. On the one hand there are prisoners who by all that know them intimately are considered absolutely incapable of such criminal conduct, which is moreover intrinsically improbable in the highest degree ; and on the other hand persistent rumours, which it is extremely difficult to believe are entirely fictitious, of even native prisoners having been so harshly treated that any admissions they may have made were value- less, and of some having been hurried off to execution without so much as a preliminary trial. What a contrast with this Socialistic prejudice against their own fellow countrymen is furnished by that distracted father, who is even now exerting himself to the utmost on behalf of his convict son because he refuses to believe that he can possibly be guilty of having played the traitor.
It can only be hoped that good may ultimately come out of evil, and that the martyrdom which wrings the hearts of all patriotic Englishmen may prove to be seed destined to produce abundant fruit in the future. The fruit, it is hoped, will be the opening of many eyes to the dismal failure of Socialistic principles, as well as to the sordid tactics adopted by some of those politicians whose credit is involved. The present century is not the only one in the history of the world which has witnessed a similar failure. Socialistic principles were given a splendid chance in New Testament times, when the earliest Christians " had all things in common," and the idle and thriftless were given equal shares with the industrious and provident. With what result ? That very soon after the Apostle of the Gentiles went about the world begging everywhere on their behalf when poverty and want became acute at Jerusalem. The Bible does not always condemn errors and even sins in so many words ; it records facts, which answer the same purpose just as well, and even better.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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