LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
fin view of the paper shortage It is essential that letters on these pages should be brief. We are anxious not to reduce the number of fetters, but unless they are shorter they must be fewer. Writers are urged to study the art of compression.—Ed., The Spectator "I
SOCIAL SURVEY AND THE M.O.I.
irg.—The recent commotion in Press and Parliament over the use )f "Cooper's Snoopers" has obscured the fact that the scientific nethods of " cross-sampling " public opinion adopted by the War- ime Social Survey constitute a remarkable extension of democratic sivilege. The Press is rightly jealous of the liberties of the subject. Vet in attacking the Survey it has played into the hands of Dr. Josef Goebbels. For whereas that obscurantist genius has for years been running his propaganda machine on the assumption that the health of a nation can be vitally damaged by the dissemination of false news, =our and suspicion, the Social Survey has made it clear that group feeling in war-time is a psychological concern to be attended to as fatefully as any good Medical Officer of Health attends to the well- being of the community under his charge. The Survey is a compara- n%e:y exact instrument for the expression of democratic feeling and opinion. It permits the rapid uncovering of avoidable sources of friction, and, provided the Departments concerned take the necessary peps to deal with these frictions, can lead to a material strengthening of our morale in war-time. The Survey is as democratic as the Beferendum, with all the advantages and none of the delays and pease. It has refuted the Nazi contention that the mass of the pie are so many sheep whose opinions must be formed for them Government propaganda. Its ultimate function is to afford our ple recurring opportunities of influencing the Government. It is
s the logical and scientific counter to Dr. Goebbels.
But, as is almost always the case, the development of a new science
s provoked a certain amount of suspicion in the minds of those to have not studied the new technique. It is always easy to raise e cry of " meddlesemeness " against any new device. The history science abounds with examples of popular clamour against methods hose aim it was to protect and sustain the health of the community. ose who tend to give unthinking support'to this opposition should fleet that, during this very war, we have freely abandoned most of ur civil rights, and have freely accepted many totalitarian devices in .der to preserve our future liberties. To this temporary landslide of betties the War-time Social Survey provides a refreshing exception.
t is the one and only extension of our liberties which the emergency
s produced. When the war is over and forgotten it will constitute ne of the most legitimate claims of the Ministry of Information to e gratitude of posterity. It would be the sheerest folly to permit y clamour for economy or for reorganisation of the Ministry to disc this newest and most unexpected of our privileges.—Yours
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