TELLING THE WORLD SIR,—Mr. Michael Sissons, in your issue of
April 17, writing from Tulane University, New Orleans, criticises what I said at an English-Speaking Union meeting in a recent tour in the USA.
He objects to my account of the British Welfare State, its health services and its expensive educa- tional system. He is, according to his own statement, benefiting by a grant from that expenditure, and
so one can understand his resentment of any criticism.
When, however, he dares me to give the same talk on any public platform in Britain, let alone Bir- mingham, I have been doing just that for forty years and expect to continue. And when he states that the American ESU is doing a grave disservice to America and Britain in sponsoring speakers like myself, I can only refer him to an official letter received at the end of the tour which reads :
I am writing on behalf of the Officers and Directors of the ESU of the United States to Tiptaft for carrying out a highly successful tour say how very grateful we are to you and Mrs. in this country on our behalf. We hear nothing but praise for the splendid contribution you made to Anglo-American understanding and goodwill. (Signed) Brigadier Trcadwell.
Vice-President, American English-Speaking Union. Mr. Sissons goes on to say how wise and lucid and non-partisan was Lord Attlee's lecture in com- parison with my own, from which I gather that he is a fervent admirer of the policy Lord Attlee repre, sents, whereas I am not.
On my American lectures, therefore, I am content to have the approval of the American Executive of the English-Speaking Union, even if I have to suffer the disapproval of Mr. Sissons.—Yours faith- fully,
NORMAN TIPTAFT
186 Hamstead Road, Birmingham, 20
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