[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") Ste,—We regret very
much to find the Spectator coming round to the view that Canadian store cattle should be allowed free entry. Your views on questions affecting agriculture and rural interests generally we have always considered sound and full of appreciation of the problem concerned. During the War we were delighted with your contributions, like "Speed the Plough " and many others which did so much to hearten the farmer in his endeavour to meet the " II " boat menace to our food supplies. And you know how important it is to the life of the nation and Empire that we should have a numerous, confident, settled, and thriving rural population.
You followed the findings of Lord Finlay's Commission, and you know how guarded and tentative they were. They found that English agricultural opinion was strongly "against the admission " of the cattle, Irish opinion solidly against it, and Scottish agricultural opinion divided. The Commission found that admission "would tend to cheapen in some measure the meat supply of the country, but not greatly lower than that which would prevail if the embargo were maintained," and they found that the supply might not be much increased as the imports " might merely replace stores raised in Great Britain and Ireland." In other words, the importation might lead to the decay of the cattle breeding and rearing industry of these islands. The Government, in vie* of these facts, on a broad balance of the national interest wisely determined to let well alone. The old heedless policy of cheapness at any price, which had brought agriculture to rain, did not appeal to them, and the public without doubt acquiesced. Canada also ac- quiesced, as again and again her Ministers admitted that it was for us a question of purely domestic policy, with which they had no right to quarrel. But when fair means fail politics intervene, and under such arch-politicians as Mr. Churchill and Lord Northcliffe Canada finds a grievance menu• factured for her to brood over—a slur on the health of her cattle. Our old policy was to keep our coasts clean against alb overseas cattle, and under this policy Canada has no legitimate grievance. She merely takes her place with others. We surely have the right to protect our shores against all chances of trouble.
Lord Ernle's promise, it is now well known, was made on entirely erroneous conclusions, as he thought the "U" boat was to deplete our stocks, so that we could look only to Canada for supplies. Moreover, he had no Cabinet sanction for the pledge, and whatever Lord Northcliffe may say, it was a ques- tion of much too high national significance for any member of the Government to determine.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Edragoll, Aborfeldy, Scotland. jAMEIS MACNAUGHT014.
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