ABOLISHING STUFFINESS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Those who are concerned with the foundation of the Youth Hostels Association of Great Britain have naturally been greatly interested by the article headed " Abolishing Stuffiness " which Major F. Yeats-Brown contributed to your issue of July 12th. He calls attention in a lively manner to the " stuffiness " and expensiveness of some of the accom- modation to be met with by the traveller in English country places, and he does our Association the service of calling attention to its main object of providing a pleasanter and more reasonable alternative for young people who wish to see their own country on foot or on a pedal cycle. For his appreciation of our aims we are sincerely grateful. We feel, however, that in connecting us in the same article with two other movements having particular aims of their own he may cause misunderstanding in the minds of some of your readers. Major Yeats-Brown opens his article by welcoming " the fight against Mrs. Grundy, who objects to sun-bathing," and shows how " the sun-cult has spread amazingly." He passes, in the same paragraph, to the German Youth Hostels movement, the remarkable pioneer which has given rise to similar efforts in Austria, Switzerland and Holland, and from which our own Association, while it is to be run on charac- teristic British lines, will have much to learn. It is true that the " sun-cult " is much more widespread in Central Europe than in our own country, and that sun-bathing is very naturally often practised by those who use the German hostels. But it is not set down as one of the primary objects of the Reichsverband fUr Deutsche Jugendherbergen, and its most thoroughgoing form of Naekt-Kultur (see an interesting letter in the Spectator of October 6th, 1928) is not encouraged by the movement. Similarly, " sun-cult " is not specified among the main aims of our own Association, any more than is " men's dress reform," the other subject which Major Yeats- Brown introduces into the same article.
The objects of our' Association, as laid down in its con- stitution and printed at the head of its notepaper, are as follows :—
" (a) To help all, but especially young people, to a greater know- ledge, care and love of the countryside, particularly by providing
hostels or other simple accommodation for them in their travels:
(C) To promote the co-operation of national voluntary organim- lions, statutory authorities and individuals, and to take any othet action calculated to further the above purpose."
—We are, Sir, &e., Matt AY Banox, Chairman, Youth Hostels Associat ion of Great Britain ;
E. ST. J. CATCHTOOL. lion. Secretary.
18 Bridge Road, Welwyn Garden City.
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