THE CASE FOR OPTIMISM [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
SIRS I am afraid to say that I consider The Spectator to be one of the chief " jitter-bugs " in this country. After reading three articles in your last week's issue, " The Tragedy of Spain," " The Shadow of Crisis," and " The Nazis and the Germans," I feel that to broadcast such views is to do a disservice to the country, especially when no remedy is sug- gested. In the last of the three articles there is this sentence : " If this sorry shift of expectation (that Germany is about to embark on another foreign adventure) is justified—and only an optimist, or a Cabinet Minister, could deny it . . . " I know that you claim no responsibility for the views of your contributors, but I assert that to give publication to sneers at optimists and at those who try to inspire optimism in the country is harmful, if not "cheap."
Reports from Madrid and from Barcelona, when it was in the hands of the Republicans, say that the people are all very cheerful. Have not we, when we compare our daily lives to those of the Spanish, every reason to be more cheer- ful than they are? Ought we not to be brimming over with happiness? Why should the British people, usually so phlegmatic, be content to bewail the political situation ; to cause endless depressions on the Stock Exchange ; to refuse to transact any business until the " much expected " war happens ; to jeer at those who refuse to admit the inevit-
ability of another crisis ; in short, to sit at home and make themselves and others miserable? I firmly believe that many pessimists will be genuinely disappointed when December comes and there is no war.
Cannot we all take the advice of our leading statesmen, who do know the facts, and banish all pessimism from our thoughts and sayings? I hope, Sir, you will publish this to counteract the pessimistic tone in last week's issue, and to draw an excuse, if possible, from those people whom I term " scaremongers."—I am, &c.,
C. A. CAMERON.
[Special pleading with a view to creating a facile optimism, for which there may or may not be adequate basis, would be easy. We consider it our business to represent the situation as we believe it to be ; it is open to anyone to believe it to be
otherwise.—Ed. The Spectator.]
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