LOOTERS WITHIN THE LAW
SIR,—At all times there is a certain section of the public that gains an odd satisfaction from getting the better of regulations imposed for the common benefit. But now this " game " is reaching such pro- portions, and is likely to be so harmful, that public opinion should be organised to end it. I refer to the increasing evasion of food and other regulations by a section of the public highly enough placed to have an active sense of responsibility. Everywhere one hears of people who have " scored " by amassing eggs, or achieving more petrol, and now clothes, than they should. And the worst symptom is that they boast about it, are applauded and envied, and their hearers are spurred to emulate them.
The looter of a few bottles of wine from a ruined building is sentenced to imprisonment, and rightly. The people to whom I refer are themselves looters, far more definitely injuring the com- munity than petty pilferers. The law cannot be everywhere : it is always powerless where the mass of people do not support it : and, besides, we do not wish to become a nation of informers. The serious side of the situation is that no social stigma seems to attach to these people. Surely, sir, at a time when most are giving their all in effort and goods, and some their lives, such widespread social disapproval should be shown this particular kind of looters, that they would from very shame hide their misdeeds. If all of us resolutely set our face against tolerating such practices, and frankly told such people what we thought of them (however disagreeable it might often be to do so), our action would at least serve as a deterrent to possible imitators of the pilferers, and might even make some of them see the error of their ways.—I am, Sir, yours, &c., BONAMY DOBREE. 35 Downshire Hill, N.P7.3.
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