SLUM CLEARANCE [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—The wonderful response made by your readers to your appeal for the miners only shows what can be done when men of good will co-operate. There must be many thousands of pen*, like myself, who, while fully appreciating the vital importance of slum clearance as affecting the future health and prosperity of the country, are yet unable to contribute more than a few pounds at a time, though the aggregate of our contributions might make a respectable sum.
Would it not be possible for you,Sir, to open a fund towards the acquirement, reconditioning, and eventual rebuilding of some of the poorest and most congested parts of our great city;? We might thus remove one of the crying scandals of our time, and make our capital a more fitting centre for one of the greatest Empires the world has ever known. There is little doubt but that, once the scheme were started, there would be no difficulty in obtainingthe voluntary services of a committee of experts to administer the fund. London is the greatest and richest city .in the world, and we are justly proud of it, but its slums are a national disgrace and require a national effort to remove.
There is some talk of a national memorial to celebrate the King's recovery. Can a more fitting one than this be imagined? It would give renewed health and happiness to thousands of His Majesty's, subjects, improve the capital beyond recognition, and form a lasting memorial to His Majesty himself, and it is moreover one of which he would himself most heartily approve.
—I am, Sir, &e., ELLEN BROWNE. Fernside, Theydon Bois, Essex.
.[For more than a year the Spectator has been considering the possibility of making an experiment at slum clearance in .a poor part of London. Our proposal was to suggest to our readers the provision of a certain sum of money to bear 21.per cent. interest and the capital to carry a redemption guaranke at par in a certain number of years. A number of promises had already, been received. Owing to the . Government's announcement of its slum clearance_ proposals we decided to postpone our venture till after the General Election. We hope to return to this subject in the autumn.—En. Spectator.] .
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