23 OCTOBER 1936, Page 18

[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Thanks be to Mr.

Strachey for his most illuminating 'exposition of Communism. May I ask two clarifying questions : (1) How would Mr. Strachey differentiate in practice between the ownership and the control of the means of production in a Communist State ? It seems to me that (apart from the Capitalist practice of drawing dividends without working) those workers who are in control become the virtual owners. Thus one gets a governing class instead of an owning class. (2) 1 cannot see anything non-Christian in Communism, as eapounded by Mr. Strachey, except this one fundamental point : Christianity asserts the equality of man : Communism denies it. Am I right ?—Yours, &c., The Clergy House, 63 Long Lane, S.E. 1. P. M. GEDGE.