[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] Sta,—Mr. Rupert Lee's letter
calls for some reply from me, or, if reply is not possible, at least for comment. He puts a
difficult case, and says, I believe rightly, that it is representa- tive of a good many others.
He is not entitled to be issued with a free Anderson shelter because he is above the income limit ; nor can he buy one until the free issue is completed. We may look for that con- summation, so we are assured, during the " early autumn," but Mr. Lee's application may be well down the list, and, in any event, the autumn, however early, may be too late. .
The basement (if he is lucky enough to have a basement suitable for strengthening) is his main hope, and here the Civil Defence Bill, when it becomes law, may come to his rescue. But even so, it is to be feared he will need a lawyer, as well as a contractor, to help him through his per- plexities, and on £6 a week it is a discouraging prospect.
The householder above the " free " limit seems, in fact, to be nobody's child. Even if he is willing and able to pay the full cost of an individual shelter, he is left with singularly little guidance of an official character, and a host of obstacles to overcome. One is, indeed, tempted to conclude that in venturing to pass the £s limit he has in some way forfeited the favour of the State and marked himself out for "liquida- tion," like a Kulak in a Russian village.—Yours faithfully, R. L. WEDGWOOD,
Chairman, Formation Committee, Air Raid -Defence League.
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