36 THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE, JANUARY 31, 1943. Who Rules Britain? A Reply to Laski (Continued from Page 11) dead and Professor Laski knows understand. The first is where he it is, but what the Conservative criticizes the membership of the chine shop, the smell of the har- rial boards have been selected all additional profits made during party and the majority of the House of Commons on the ground vest field, the danger of the coal- from outstanding men in the that many members have knowl- the war. If this ruling clique British people will not accept is face, and of the broad horizons edge of, and interest in, the great various industries which they are rules Britain in its own interests, that the only alternative to it is of the ends of the earth, and not industries like banks, insurance, controlling. It is also a cause of as Professor Laski suggests, they the socialization of all industry merely, as presumably Professor iron and steel, shipping and the offense that the Director of Civil- have not-made much of a job of it. under a vast bureaucratic ma- Laski would have it, of the smoky like and that there are others ian Clothing knows something chine. We are not prepared to lamp of the professor's study. who have some stake in the about clothing and that the mem- B exchange one tyranny for anoth- Odd remarks that families like UT what of the future? To dominions, bers of the Petroleum Board have what extent can the Conservative er, Oliver Lyttelton, the Minister the Cecils, the Stanleys and Churchills have, generation after some previous knowledge of the party be trusted to plan the post- of Production, put it very well in W generation, continued to play a industry. Whom, then, would he he does not mention is war in the interests of the com- a recent broadcast when he said, that on the Labor side there is part in public life would leave select for these difficult and spe- mon man? At this moment, the "If any one asks me whether the same diversity of economic most people in England quite cialized responsibilities? Civil report of the Beveridge Commit- there should be more socialism or backgrounds. All the great trade cold. We are a tradition-loving servants or university professors tee is before the House of Com- more capitalism, my answer is unions, like the miners, engineers, people with a hard streak of com- or whom Even Professor Laski mons. It is the most complete that there should be a great deal transport workers, civil servants, mon sense that change for does not doubt the will of these charter of economic liberty-the more of both. The essence of etc., are represented by men who change's sake does not necessarily people to win the war, nor does very epitome of the freedom from democracy should be a balance in many cases have previously spell progress. It is to most of he challenge their competence, want clause of the Atlantic Char- between the organizing power of been the paid officials of these us a matter of pride, rather than but the theory of it is all wrong ter-which has ever been placed the State and the driving force of bodies. There is always the dan- of regret, that the effigies of the and that is all that matters to before any Legislature. the free individual." ger in any democratic assembly twelve knights who compelled him. It might be as well to point that a member may become a King John to sign the Magna out that this committee was set delegate of a particular interest, THROUGHOUT INDUSTRY is too complex in Carta in 1215 can today look up by Mr. Churchill, who accord- rather than the representative of down on living descendants of Professor Las- a modern State to be measured ing to Professor Laski "would not the people as a whole. But from four of them who for 700 years ki's long indictment there is the up against one single yardstick, permit any controversial ques- In Great Britain today we have what ranks of society would Pro- have helped to guide the ship of suggestion, not only that the Con- tions to be raised-which is to purely State enterprises like the fessor Laski fill the House of state. That sense of continuity servative party is a class party say that all vital experiments in postoffice, telegraphs and tele- Commons? Are we to exclude and of tradition can have a very which somehow or other manages either the social or economic phones and many municipalities any one who has ever had any real practical application in times to persuade the deluded elector- realms were ruled out of the field have engaged with success in the contact with trade, industry, of crisis. What saved Britain in ate to vote for it election after of possible action." This report ownership and management of banking, law, medicine or trade 1940 was nothing but a subcon- election, but that it rules the has been published since I left gas, electricity and transport un- unions and breed a race of spe- scious feeling that because we country predominantly in the in- England and it is difficult to fol- dertakings. No one wishes to in- cial politicians whose main, if not have never been conquered in a terest of the small ruling clique low political thought across the terfere with them. There is the only, qualification will be that thousand years, we never could of big landlords, big business and Atlantic Ocean, but the indica- typically British compromise of be now. To put it crudely, big finance. What are the facts tions are exactly what I would they have never done anything the public utility corporation of if this system produces a Church- With two short intermissions, the have predicted, that the principles practical in their lives? which the London Passenger ill in times of crisis, then we feel Conservative party was in power underlying this great charter are Professor Laski's grievance is Transport Board and the Port of there is not much wrong with it. during the twenty years between supported by an overwhelming apparently that the British elec- London Authority are examples. the two wars. Whatever might percentage of the British people torate stubbornly continues to The profit is taken out of these choose men to represent them M® be said about its foreign policy- and by all political parties. monopolist undertakings by fix- LASKI'S second griev- and a lot could be said in re- But it is in the field of indus- ing the rate of interest on capital. who know life from many angles. ance is with the governmental or- joinder about the foreign policies trial organization that Professor Otherwise, they are left to oper- In the House of Commons one ganizations of the war effort. He of all the great powers- is Laski challenges, perhaps by im- ate as ordinary corporations is always conscious of the tang objects to the fact that the con- no reason for it to be very much plication, the future policy of the without the clogging influence of of the sea, the roar of the ma- trollers of the various raw mate- ashamed of its record at home. Conservative party. This is un- bureaucratic red tape. Then, we Great Britain today has the fortunately an age of slogans and have the large multiple stores, in- GIFTS FOR most complete range of social catch phrases which vary from cluding the vast cooperative the Service services of any country in the year to year. Today such words movement, with their established world. They carry a man from as the "profit motive," "vested place in the industrial system. the cradle-even before the cradle interests" and the like are being But most people feel that there to the grave. These twenty bandied about without much at- still remains an important role to years have witnessed an exten- tention being paid to their mean- be filled by the small trader who sion in the scope of old-age pen- ing. has always been the backbone of sions, widows' pensions, national To take some of them to their our municipal life and also for health insurance, unemployment logical conclusion, some people the ingenious individual who is insurance, meals in schools, in- would have us believe that there prepared to risk and often lose fant welfare and the like, which is something immoral in making his capital in the promotion of collectively have effected an al- a profit out of anything. Pre- a new venture. most unbelievable improvement sumably, therefore, it is highly in the health and general well- virtuous to make a loss, and the WHE being of the community. This has I am asked at meet- higher the loss, the greater the been shown by the medical sta- ings, and I frequently am, "Do virtue. The Conservative party tistics of the men and women and, I believe, the average Eng- you favor turning the railways or called up under the Military Serv- lishman sees nothing wrong in the mines into public utility cor- ice Act. 2 making a profit. It is the under- porations? my answer is always lying principle of the payment of that I have a completely open BLACK OUT PENCIL CRUCIFORM MEDAL VER 4,000,000 new houses piece rates in industry. Rightly mind on the subject. My criterion WRITES IN THE DARK! for Catholics in Service were built in a veritable crusade or wrongly, it is the most com- is neither that of a man hag-rid- The ideal gift! Combination Now write that note after Scapular, Miraculous, St. Joseph against the slums. The black pelling motive force for the ma- den by an economic theory nor, "LIGHTS OUT!" Clever plastic and St. Christopher medals in window in base, houses ingen- spot was unemployment, but it jority of human beings, and it is as Mr. Laski will probably sug- sterling silver with enameled iously concealed downward lite- flag shields. Strong 24" sterling was too in the United States and significant that in Russia the gest, a blind protagonist of vest- just twist top! Red, white and many other countries. The world pure Marxism of the early days ed interest, but simply this, "Is silver chain. $2.75 complete. Add blue body. Mechanical, guaranteed. 10c postage. of the revolution was quickly that the best way of doing it, con- Refillable. $1 check or M. O. THE EDWARD O'TOOLE CO., Inc. generally has yet to learn how succeeded by a system which per- sidering the interests of the com- GIFT CLUES, 337 E. 42 St., N.Y.C. LE.2-4947 65 Barclay Street * New York, N. Y. to adapt its financial and eco- mitted payment both by results munity as a whole? If you can nomic system to the wealth which and graduations in society. prove to me that it is good, I ORDER the bounty of nature, the discov- will support it. If not, then I will eries of science and the produc- B refuse." tivity of the machine have pro- two qualifications to this Professor Laski finishes his ar- CHECK OR MONEY ORDER ENCLOSED vided for it. principle would be demanded in ticle by asking the rhetorical During those twenty years, the Britain today. The first is that question whether the capitalist ITEM HOW NUMBER MANY leveling process in economic life no individual or body of people democracy which he associates has been going on apace. Taxa- must be allowed to hold the com- with the Conservative party can tion in the forms of income tax, munity to ransom, and the second adapt itself to the post-war world is that extremes of wealth are where freedom from want will surtax and death duties have NAME never fallen below levels which undesirable on sociological as quite rightly be regarded as one STREET of the main conditions of signing most people in the United States well as on economic grounds. But CITY unless the British people change the peace. Time alone will show, would regard as intolerable. On but unless the Conservative party CHECK OR MONEY the outbreak of war, the levels their national character-which becomes untrue to its traditions 3 ORDER ENCLOSED were stepped up, until today, in to say the least of it is most im- and loses all its powers of inter- THEY WANT CAMELS! ITEM HOW order to enjoy a net income of probable-they are not likely to preting the real wishes of the NUMBER MANY Send "him" a carton of Camels £5,000 a year, the gross income welcome any system which stifles British people, it will once more today. With men in the service, must be about nine times that initiative and enterprise and tries exhibit that combination of real- the favorite gift is cigarettes- amount. Any profit which might to turn them into a nation of ism and idealism which for so the favorite cigarette, Camel NAME (based on actual sales records be accrued from the war itself State-controlled robots. long has earned it the support of from the men's own service STREET was removed by the imposition of The undiluted laissez-faire of all sections and classes of the stores). CITY SEE YOUR DEALER 100 per cent excess profit tax on the Victorian Age in industry is community