MR. CHURCHILL'S CABINET
SIR,—Mr. Churchill has no more convinced and faithful supporter than myself at the present time and for the duration of the war, but n3 view of the general agreement that a political truce is now imperative and should be strictly observed by all, I am sorry indeed that You have printed this week Mr. John Barber's letter stating that onlI one man can claim to have warned the country to rearm, and that-- Mr. Churchill. This statement revives the fiercest political contrc• versy of the pre-war days. Mr. Churchill warned- the country to re- ann because he was not able to bring forward any effective alternative foreign policy to that pursued by the National Government. This po c y was steadily denounced by all the parties of the Left as leading inevitably to war, and with it Mr. Churchill was in substantial agree- ment. He, almost alone among Conservatives, perceived that its continuance made war inevitable and rearmament a national duty.
Mr. Chamberlain's policy was one of opposition to Russia and to all progressive Governments in the interests of the class to which he belonged. It almost completely disregarded the interests of the country and the Empire as a whole, and placed the latter in deadly jeopardy. The Labour Party throughout the years put forward a policy of firmness toward aggression and mutual help between peace- ful nations, under which the present situation could never have arisen. But the time to discuss these matters is not now, and The Spectator does itself an injustice in allowing them to be raised.
We have buried the hatchet for the duration. Let it remain buried until we have achieved this victory.—Yours truly, E. LILWALL NIELD. The Brown House, Mares field, Uck field, Sussex.
[In accordance with the last sentence of this letter, which will command wider agreement than some which precede it, this corre- spondence is now closed.—En., Spectator.]
Previous page
