A DECLARATION OF POLITICAL PRINCIPLES.
[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR.") Sat,—The Duke of Northumberland has come out quite grandly. But he is a Duke. I am a mere "old Board School " boy. Nevertheless, the enclosed memorandum expresses my senti- ments exactly. I have had the memorandum " Roneo'd " for circulation among near acquaintances. I could not afford much. You will see without my present frank and open acknowledgment that, as to the greater portion of the matter, I have simply impudently "lifted " it from you. Seeing that I am, as I have said, a mere old Board School boy; seeing that I have worked in both factory and office; seeing that I am still working; seeing that I have brought up two stalwart young men, one of whom is a competent and clever mechanical engineer, and the other a clerk in the Bank of England; seeing, further, that I have other younger children dependent
• upon me; seeing, too, that as far as I can see I shall have to continue working for my daily bread until the Old Man with the Scythe gathers me in; and seeing that when all my debts are paid I do not suppose I would sell for £100, possibly I shall escape the charge of being a prejudiced capitalist. You may consider the closing sentences of my memorandum a little too flamboyant, but when we cannot escape hearing about that wretched " Red Flag," may we not sometimes coo to ourselves about another and better flag, for, although so many seem to be temporarily forgetting it, we are, after all, citizens of no " A DECLARATION of POLITICAL PRINCIPLES, the adoption and prosecution of which would save England in the present crisis of her fate and put her on the path to greater glories than ever.
1. The stern opposition of the forces of revolution under any and every alias, and a fixed determination that the will of the majority shall prevail.
2. The will of the majority shall be ascertained, not by guesses or rumours, or impudent claims, but by law and con- stitutional usage based on just principles.
3. The welfare of the poorer classes to be sought as a necessity, but without interfering with liberty or enterprise, and so diminishing production. There should be a far greater equality of enjoyment than now in the matter of material prosperity. But that will never be obtained by a deliberate effort, as now, to restrict production.
4. The maintenance and community of the British Empire, • under a system of alliance, without interference between the component parts of the Empire.
5. Immediate introduction of the Referendum or Poll of the People as a veto over Bills which may be carried contrary to the will of the majority of the nation.
6. A powerful effort to make the people of this country realize that Capital—by which we mean the accumulation of wealth, i.e., things of value in exchange—instead of being contrary to the interests of the poor or the handworkers is their salvation, and that what we want is more, not less, Capital in this country, for, in the last resort, Capital alone can create employment for Labour.
7. Allegiance, loyalty, and support for His Majesty George V., the crowned Chairman of our great British Republic.
8. Peace and goodwill with all, if possible, both within and without the Empire, but if mischief makers, either domestic or foreign, MIST fight, why, then, as the Knights of old had it —God and St. George for merry England—For England, Home, and Beauty—Evil overtake all Rebels and Traitors, and three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue.
GOD SAVE THE KING. Kindly circulate."
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