26 THE CHANGES NEEDED 



Great Britain herself produces, the smaller the 

 risk of panic and unnecessary suffering in case 

 she had to wage war. The men who can get 

 most value out of the ground are therefore the 

 men she wants : the nation would do well to 

 offer inducements to these men to stick to her 

 and do their best. 



Against these arguments the simple objection 

 might be raised that they all recommend inter- 

 ference by Government, and that interference by 

 Government, in matters touching the liberty of 

 the subject, is subversive of freedom. The 

 Government of the day, of whatever party it 

 may happen to be, is set up by the people 

 themselves for distinct purposes. There is no 

 interference with freedom if the elect of the 

 people seek to draw public opinion one way : 

 it is constantly being done, without objection 

 raised, as far as the lights of Government and 

 its advisers penetrate. The time seems to 

 have come when the state of affairs demands 

 the exchange of the old inefficient lights for 

 modern, wide-sweeping search-lights. 



