Another question of particular interest, will be the manner in
which the Labour Party will receive the proposals that the Government have in mind for the extension of voluntary physical training. The speech of Sir Stafford Cripps this week at St. Pancras is not encouraging. His view on the physical training scheme was that it was a policy of " fattening to kill." " Fat- stock breeders," he said, " always fatten their cattle to kill at Christmas. The Government are going to fatten the workers to have them killed in the next war." But Sir Stafford Cripps is becoming increasingly out of touch with the rank and file of the Labour Party. He gives every evidence of being thoroughly rattled by being made the target of the attack of every Government speaker, and this fact may be the cause of his speeches becoming more and more irresponsible. I believe that the public mind is well prepared for a real drive to improve the physique of the nation, and that the Labour Party would be most foolish in their own interests if they attacked the proposals before they had even seen them embodied in draft legislation.
* * * *
Previous page
