MR. DOIDGE AND YOUTH

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 144, 14 December 1940, Page 10

MR. DOIDGE AND YOUTH

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Many are the attempts to find a scapegoat for our present ills, and' I notice that Mr. Doidge, M.P., inclines to the common opinion that things would be better if youth took the lead. Does his thesis hold water? If it does Great Britain would sack Mr. Churchill. He gives examples of the glittering success of young newspaper men, but will these bright young fellows step out of the struggle when they are older? I think not because the more brilliant the youth, the more likely he is to become the outstanding experienced older man. In Cromwell and John Howard we have instances of men who commenced thenlife of real achievement when well past youth. Masaryk is fresh in our memories, and Smuts is with us. The examples of Germany and Italy with their fanatical youth movements should have curbed Mr. Doidge's exuberance. The weakness of youth is that it is easily fooled. A better world will not be built by youth, but by men of good will, whether young or old, brilliant or simple, rich or poor.—l am, etc., THE OLD 'UN.