Youth and the Politicians
PSYCHOLOGY is a Vital factor in politics. Character, fortunately, stands for . a great deal. In this country it perhaps stands, in the long run for more than anything—though examples to the contrary arc not far to seek. But on the platform the leader - with a flair will gain a response beyond the reach of the leader with character as his chief asset.. The two qualities are not incompatible. It is possible to have both character and flair. Mr. Gladstone always had the one and some- times the other. But too often the worthy arc unimagin- ative and the imaginative are undependable. No better example of the truth of the first half of that dictum-. nothing need be said about the second half—can be found than the attitude of the established political parties of today towards the youth on which each of them relies to produce its supporters for a generation to conic. A new portent is before their eyes, but whether they discern it or not is more than doubtful. In Italy Signor Mussolini has organized the youth of the country at his back. In Germany the youth of the country they and no one else—have carried Herr Hitler to power and kept him there. Germany is • being run by young men today, and while opposition has been driven under- ground or across the frontiers or into concentra tion camps by ruthlessness elevated into a cult there is no question that a free vote in Germany would yield a heavy majority in favour of the Nazi regime.
This country is being run by the old and middle-aged. A great deal of nonsense is talked about that. With age comes experience and a reverence for tradition which, if kept within hounds, means the maintenance of steady and considered progress from past to future. But it may easily mean stagnation and a perpetual frustration of the hopes of the young men, and for that matter the young women, who see visions and believe ardently in the possibility of getting them realized. There are millions of men and women of that type in this country today. Not, of course, that all of them have vision. The majority are ready to follow any leader who can harness their vague impatience and discontent with the existing order, and satisfy them that given the opportunity he can and will " get things done." Only one man in this country is making that appeal today, Sir Oswald Mosley, and he is undeniably making it with sonic effect.
Everything, no doubt, is in his favour. First there is the slump. When thousands of boys leav- ing secondary schools or universities are finding no jobs obtainable they are glad enough to identify them= selves with some corporate life and corporate discipline; and they respond to the idea of defending something or other a little undefined (not the existing order of society, for they are anxious to turn that upside down themselves) from attacks by Communists or the Socialist League, and the prospect of physical encounters in the process is a definite attraction. Sir Oswald Mosley's speeches are crude and windy stuff and Lord- Rother- mere's articles are no better. But to pretend that they have no effect at all is folly. Everyone with a scrap of knowledge of human nature recognizes that there is a type to which this kind of fustian does appeal, and the statement that the numbers of the British ; . blackshirts whatever they stand for, are growing is no doubt true.
But Sir Oswald Mosley's chief asset—worth as much to him as all others put together—is that he has the field to himself. He is organizing the young. men to challenge the old men's rule; And the established political parties are standing by and looking on. -• Young men are turning from them because they are not troubling about the young men and have nothing to offer them. The services youth could render arc in no demand. The Cabinet is headed by a Prime Minister of 67, a Con- servative leader of 66, and a National Liberal leader..41 just on 60. That is not unreasonable. In the cyrsue4 honorum it- is naturally the elder men who get. to the- top. But in the whole Cabinet of 20 members there are. three and three only under fifty. And it is significant that of those three one should be Mr. Elliot; who whatever may be thought of his policies, must be ranked essentially among the men who get things done. Equally significant in the opposite sense is the fact that Mr. Ormsby-Gore, with his admirable record as an Under-Secretary at the Colonial Office, is given nothing more responsible to do, than look after the Office of Works. Mr. Eden in whom youth, energy and ability are combined, gets to the door- step of the Cabinet, but no further. There is -more than that. The Cabinet not only does not include youth, but it cannot fire youth. Its members are just launching a platform crusade in the country.. Very admirable. But which of them has any conception of how to appeal to the young men and women of the country ? The Prime Minister, with his nebulous generalities ? Sir John Simon, with his academic chill ? Mr. Chamberlain, with his arid accuracy ? Sir Hilton Young, with his-marshalled statistics ? Mr. Baldwin might do it on his day, but Mr. Baldwin's days are unpredictable and rather rare. Lord Irwin might. Mr. Elliot and Mr. Ormsby-Gore, younger men themselves, can..'" That is not good enough. And if it is the best possible then Sir Oswald Mosley need fear little from competition. He has, in any case, the easy task of attack- ing, and making claims that are not likely to be tested and would no -doubt be exploded if they were. But when he points to the scandal of the slums and declares that British Fascism will change all that, what has the Government to set against the challenge ? Not one of its members has defended its handiwork in- that field with half the vigour the Archbishop of Canterbury has put into his denunciations of this shame to our eiviliza, tion. Not one of them has planted in the mind of any hearer the conviction that the slums of this country are going to be abolished at- any cost before the men and women of this generation are ten years older. Not one of them, except Mr. Baldwin in One notable but isolated and inconclusive utterance, has poured anything but a douche of discouragement on the millions of younger men and Women, utterly hostile to the Fascists • and all their doctrine, who are profoundly for the League of Nations and believe that this country should -long ago have issued a far more deCisiVe challenge to Europe in the matter of disarmament. The youth -of Britain, neglected- by the politicians,' convinced:.by observation that younger members of the House of Commons can look for nothing but a few under-secretaryships, is developing an impatience and dissatisfaction, in itself • entirely healthy, that disposes it to lend a ready ear to any leader who showS himself conscious of youth's existence; and proclaims that it has a part to play in the construction of a better world than the one it was born in. If there is no true prophet to preach that, it will all too easily listen to some false one.
There is no reason to single cut the National. Govern- ment for any special sti7ctures . in this matter:. The Labour Party, led by Mr. Itenderson, who is 70, and Mr: Lansbury - who -is nearly . 75, . finds little room : for -youth' in its front. ranks except in the persons. of Sir Stafford Cripps and Mr. Morrison,. and among the Opposition Liberals there is no one of Cabhiet calibre' under 50 except Sir Archibald Sinclair. Politics may be a career open to the talents; but not apparently to the talents of youth. This-is not a light matter. -In other walks of life youth can force its way by its merits. Young physicians and surgeons and scientists of distinction, young head- Masttrs, - Young men in key positions in business—of these there are abundance. But the business of governing the country- is kept in the hands of the middle-aged and over. -Experience is invaluable and essential. But so equally is initiative and enterprise. And though generalizations may prove false in a:given case it remains true that both youth and age have their special character. /sties and qualities. Age notoriously adapts itself less readily to changed situations, and we live in a world of ever-changing Situations. Youth, unproved by responsi, bility, may be impetuous and ill-advised, but the remedy for that is not to withhold responsibility but to accord it. In Germany age has been swept aside and youth is in unchallenged control. That is as great an evil as its opposite. There is still time—though only just—to avoid either mistake here. The political party that wakes up to the possibilities of youth and is ready to give them full play eau compass both its own salvation and the country's.
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