IN ENGLAND TO-DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 62, 6 December 1919, Page 13

IN ENGLAND TO-DAY

NEW ATTITUDE TO CURRENT

i'uOBLEMS

LOOSENING OF PARTY TIES

British people are learning to think, lo give "thought for to-morrow," in view tho gravity of their social and ccononiio problems. They realise, according to Professor Graham' Wallas, of.London, thai, unless they can adjust.their economic system to incct the present crisis, they may faco starvation, and they aro casting aside old formulae and breaking down political barriers. Professor Wallas, an educator, sociologist, author and student of practical polities, went to New York, recently'to join tho staft of instructors enlisted by the New School'for Social Research, "where serious-minded and mature students may gather to carry on their studies in a spirit of scientific inquiry." Ho will lecture during the next two terms upon such themes, as "Social Inheritance,"

"English Administrative Experiments in Central Exeeutivo Government" and similar experiments "In Local Government." "A man visiting England now who knew tho English well half a. dozen years ago might notice the serioushcßS, «■»« wnat we hopo is the depth with which the British people are trying to think out their social and political problems," said Professor Wallas. "Matters discussed ii few years ago from the point of viow of party or by simple , formulae— such as right or wrong, just or unjust, socialist or individualist—are now being discussed by men of all parties with a new sense both of their urgency and their difficulty. "One such proble'm is Ireland. Another, tho relation of the State to transport and mining. . A third is the relation of men and 'women organised in trade unions and in/other production I todies to tho same men and women organised as distributors or consumers.

"In all these respects we are leaving behind us the old, simple formulae. Wo are encouraging the organisation of every form of occupation; we wolconie the fact that the trade unions represent now a far larger proportion of tho population than ever before; and wo 'recogniso' the organisation of teachers and of all the civil servants. And yet, when an attempt at a police strike took place the other day in London, everyone -realised that tho occupational organisation of those who are employed to uso force on behalf of tho community must havo a peculiar character of its own. Tho striking policemen, after due warning, wero dismissed, and, as' far' as I know, no widespread demand has been mado for their reinstatement.

"This spirit of _ serious thought is shown again in ivo remarkable pronouncement in favour of increased production 'by Mt. Brownlie,'chairman, of the executive body of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, and by tho genera.! willingness on the parti of very rich men to discus'* a levy upon capital—a proposal which would have been rejected without considernt'on a few years ago as a mere attack upon property. "Tho fact? I am trying to describe aro very hugely due to the universal recognition by our ncpplcj of the extreme danger of Britain's peculiar position. The population of tho British Isles can live, of course, only by exporting manufactures and importing food. And, unless wo can adopt cur economic system to tho present crisis, we muat simply and literally stnTvc—ni Vienna or Petrograd or Budapest is starving l to-day. "One of the effects of this attitude is to eaura a general loosening of party org&nifations. No description, for instance, of tho party affiliation of J/>rd ißoberl .Cecil or of Mr. Ilendersoni or of Mr. H. A. L. Fisher would be, helpful in indicating the individual's present rotation to British social policy. "A further effect is the great influence of bodies which exist for the purpose of concentrating tho thought of all classes upon the burning questions of tho day. An instance of Hint is tho growing influence of the Workers' Educational Association—a body that consists of tho freely appointed representatives of trade unions and of other working-dnss organisations co-operaling with freely elected representatives of the British universities. The same tendency can be seen in the shift which is taking place in tho direction of study within tho universities themselves

"In nil this I do not want to exaggerate. There are still in Britain dyed-in-the-wool party men, purveyors of moral formulae which eolve all questions by anticipation, and avoiders of tho agony of thought. "But, -broadly.spending, t believe that what I have said is true."

Then Professor Walks discussed, in brief, Iti«= observation 1 " hi"*.

"Sometimes I ask. mysolf if the- same tendency in showing itself in America, Perhaps after being hero a month or two I may find myself with an opinion. Meanwhile, T rend- with the closest interest tho discussions raised by your steel strike and'the arguments ns to the international position of the United Stalls under tho Pence Treaty. Your incentive to thought is not so urgent ns ours, because your danger is not so great. But you have a. \yide intellectual interest in these matters and a tradition in favour of government by fre.e discussion. I wonder whether that interest and thnt tradition will overcome here the tendency of all mankind to escape the. -eftor* of thought by following the easier lines of class urejudioo or political party or mora! platitude."

.As a British teacher who is about to instruct classes in tho United States, Professor AValbs was asked whether international undcrstandinsr and good feeling might be encouraged still further and unnii a wider scale through reciprocal visits by groups of Americans and Euroneai's rapresenti'ur various social and, industrial classes. Why should not some of the money saved by the reduction of national armaments 1» spent in sending parties of' farmers, workmen and business men from Eastern. Western, and Southern States to study the agriculture, trades o"d commerqe of Great Britnin and to "talk things over" with British colleagues? Why should not corresponding parties come across from Britain?

Professor Wallas foresaw difficulties. Not enough parties could be sent across to make cither nation Teally acquainted with tho other. And to render Iheso visits woductive of important results tho travellers would ItaTe to change completely their probable mental attitude.