Sia,—A spectre is wandering over England today—the spectre of liberalism.
Most of the forces of England have united to exor- cise it: the arch-thief of politics, the Con- servative Party; the bemused, hesitating Labour Party; and the small, but vigorous Conimunist Party.
Since Disraeli taught the Tories how to dish the Whigs, they have been quietly assuming responsibility for initiating (if not yet, in the spirit of their Russian colleagues,' of originating) reforms first conceived of by Liberals, and of later years by moderate Socialists. It will be a bad day for these naughty Tory pirates when the Liberal Parry is wound-up '—where would they get new ideas ? From Sir Hartley ? From Jennie Lee ? From the quondam Mr. Lyttleton ?
Trimmer's criticism of the Liberals was in essence just Trimmer's conclusions,
invalid. It is true that a principal fault has been an almost Bakuninitc use of vague and exuberant rhetoric in place of any detailed political analysis. But Liberals, as Mr. Wade and Mr. Bowles will tell you, Sir, arc not incapable of such study, nor of putting it over in an understandable way. There is, Sir, no large organ of the National Press directly behind the Liberals, and they suffer in consequence; but let not their apparent silence lull your suspicions.
The Tories have a good potential working class vote. Have these been forgotten--save but to promise them what they already have, and that by no virtue of the Conservatives ? This irrational and forgotten Aroupe is virtually silent--does that mean it is non- existent ? The Communilt Party is becom- ing less vocal--does that mean it is becoming non-existent ? The Liberal Party no longer makes a stir, nor sends a thrill through the nation's spirit, as once it did—does this mean that Liberals are no more ?
No, Sir. Let Conservatives look to their own, lest complacency deceive them. What, Sir, have they produced in the past ten years in the field of labour relations—apart from strife ? They have not yet assumed respon- sibility for co-ownership proposals—perhaps they arc waiting for the Liberals to decide on final practical details. ICI has been the latest of a number of firms to follow these Liberal lines. What, Sir, have the Conservatives produced in the field of educa- tion since their part-share in the 1944 Act ? If they have had a report. from a select committee of their own within the past two years, I am unaware of it. The Liberals have. But then they arc not in power, you will say, and such reports are hardly useful —except to serve as quarries for tired, bowler- hatted party executives, gravelled for ideas. Did not the Editor send an observer, or even a reporter, to the Liberal Party Con- ference at Buxton, last Easter ? And did that conference show that Liberals in the country thought their end at hand ?
It may not be without significance, Sir, that of the three main political clubs in the University of Oxford, this last term the Con. servative has been the most dull, unadven- turous and indolent.
But let us give credit to the Conservative Party for one thing at least—it is in powers it did win the last election even though it polled substantially less votes than the Socialists.—Yours faithfully,
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