Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-11
Denies That British Government

Is Tory or Illiberal.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Samuel Grafton by the very title OF
his always interesting and often anus
ing column, I'D Rather Be Right" in
vites correction when he falls short Of
his cwn, and Henry Clay's, ambitious
ideal.
Mr.. Grafton in his remarks on Sir
william Beveridge's report falls short Of
that accuracy which we are accustomed
to expect from him.
In the first place, he speaks Of
England having today a conservative
government. This is not so. The British
government for some years now has
been a national government composed
Of all parties, and the proportion Of
strong labor men in the cabinet is con-
siderably larger than In the House Of
Commons.
Then he seems to find it curious that
social reforms should be associated with
the Conservative party. But in England
the Conservatives have passed as many
measures Of real social reform as the
Liberals or Laborites. There are no
Tories today The Liberal party has
long been dying, and the Conservatives
have become liberal in fact, II not in
name. They are progressives who are
Just little less hurried in their progress
than the Laborites.
Mr.. Grafton sees the new Beveridge
report as 4 consequence Of Dunkerque
and describes Dunkerque amazingly as
a huge military disaster" In fact, the
British withdrawal from Dunkerque was
ono Of the most brilliant achievements
in military history. The British Gen.
Gort attained his objective, and so,
defeating the enemy, gained victory.
Even the Germans, having thought the
operation impossible, expressed their
unbounded admiration.
The British were not defeated at Dun
kerque nor in France or the Low Coun-
tries at all. The original Franco
British plan provided that Britain's
main task was on the seas, Frances
with the army. But provision was made
that Britain should support France with
q certain number of divisions on the
continent. This Britain did, sending,
indeed, more than she had contracted
to do. When the French Army was
routed and the Belgians capitulated, Is 1t
to be supposed that the British should
remain in France to be annihilated: and
how would this have contributed to
ultimate victory? The British decided
to withdraw, they withdrew in accord
ance with plan, and the withdrawal was,
almost miraculously, successful.
Can Mr.. Grafton produce any extract
from any English newspaper question
inR"-aS he aSserts-"the educational
system and wondering whether 1t allowed
natural ability to rise to the top?" 1t Is
difncult to think Of any man at the top
In England in whatever walk of life who
has not achieved his position "by nat
ural ability" From an intimate knowl-
edge Of both countries have no hest
tation in stating that the number Of
"self-made" men in England Is no less
than in the United States.
Here perhaps I may be allowed to
quote famous American Journalist,
Price Collier, who lived many years in
England. He said: England Is the most
democratic country In the world, where
the individual Is less trammeled by bar
riers of birth or class In his efforts to
rise than anywhere else In Christen-
dom"
The Beveridge report is not the out
come Of any questioning about educa-
ton. What has education TO do With