. LIBERAL REUNION
snt,—Few will quarrel with the very sane and realistic comments in your July 16th issue on the resolution passed by the Liberal Confer- ence banning any participation in a post-war Coalition Government. It is, of course, for the Liberal Party to say what the Liberal Party shall do, but I venture to think that had the resolution been debated after the National Liberal Club had feted the Prime Minister, the vote would have supported the view of the Liberal Executive. There is at least one argument in favour of the continuance of a Coalition Govern- ment immediately after the war which should appeal to Liberals. It is that of a moral duty. It is doubtful if any but a Coalition Govern- ment could now be plucking for us the fruits of victory from the tree of agonism, and its essential union rests in its moral aim and com- munity of interest. Some words of Burke are very relevant to our present situation: " Our circumstances are indeed critical, but then they are the circumstances of a strong and mighty nation. If corrupt- ness and meanness are greatly spread, they are not spread universally. Many public men are hitherto examples of public spirit and integrity. Whole parties, as far as large bodies can be uniform, have preserved character. However they may be deceived in some particulars, I know of no set of men amongst us which does not contain persons on whom the nation, in a difficult exigence, may well value itself."
The moral obligations of the Peace are inescapable, and no less weighty than those of the war, and any disruption of the revealed lines of sustained harmony can only result in a confusion of vision and a babel of tongues. Democracy deserves something better to commend it than insistence on its right to wrangle. To reconstruct a wrecked world is a job for world, and not for party, opportunism. True patriotism demands the services of men of goodwill, and I hold that Liberals, Socialists and Conservatives should remain in alignment with full executive powers to shoulder the immense responsibilities which. await them. We all believe in social progress and that it is not safe to go on continuously heightening the summit of the social pyramid and neglecting to broaden or strengthen its base. But no political game, however clever, played now, will be played twice.
Europe must not only be freed but consolidated; the delicate tasks following upon demobilisation must be adjusted in the national interests before we should think of reverting to Party government, which I shall be the first to welcome as a Conservative, when the Coalition Gwernment has fulfilled its purpose.—Yours faithfully,
REGINALD L. SWABY.
7 Huddlestone Road, Willesden Green, N.W. 2.
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