A curious example of Bumbledom occurred on Sunday when the popular "Crazy Gang," who had come up from Brighton specially to help in an entertainment at the Prince of Wales's Theatre for war charities, war loan. Actually this is no new idea. The argument for it is that if the millions of the proletariat are allowed to spend all the unwonted money they are now getting—as they assuredly will-there will be a dearth of things to buy (with everybody clamouring for them) and prices will rise. If they are forced, in the words of the old song, to "put a little bit away for a rainy day," prices will keep down and when the inevitable slump comes after the war, the working-class will have something to fall back upon.
Mr. Keynes' suggestion has raised loud protests and disagreement, not least of course from those who have never troubled to find out what he means. His scheme may or may not be good. But one thing is certain. No Government will dare to inter-fore with the right of the British working-class to be as wasteful as they please.
I see in today's "Daily Telegraph" that provincial shopkeepers are rejoining in the tremendous demand for clothes, boots, furs, watches, etc. consequent on the all-round rise in wages. So there seems to be something in what Mr. Keynes says.
On the other hand the investment of "the little man" in the new War Bonds, which were specially designed for him, has been beyond all expectation. So he seems to be both saving and spending. It is all very confusing.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.