29 JANUARY 1927, Page 3

That would be a policy of bankruptcy. It is said

that the County Councils and County Boroughs would rely for advice upon the class of persons who on the whole have done admirable work as Guardians in most parts of England. But even so, nothing could prevent a campaign among the electors for a profligate policy. " Vote for So-and-So and he will fix the rate of relief so that you can live in comfort " would be a terrible and humiliating election cry, but one likely to be successful. To us it seems that the real solution is to provide that those who distribute alms should not be elected by the contingent beneficiaries' Other kinds of eleemosynary grants in our political system are made not by elected persons but by departmental officials.