76-10-B1

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England

Transcript We of the World War II generation remember only too well the admiration approaching hero worship we felt for those who lived Britain's finest hour. In this time of threat to the "right little, tight little, isle", I find myself praying, that somewhere in the British soul there is still that gallantry and fortitude that meant so much to western civilization almost four decades ago. Winston Churchill called socialism a "philosophy of greed". Great Britain turned to that philosophy and, it would seem, has confirmed his words. Colin Brogan, writing a letter to National Review magazine, cited some examples of present day British life. He writes of a ticket collector in the London subway who watched a police woman struggling with a purse-snatcher. Repeatedly, she called out for help, he did nothing. When questioned in court he said there was nothing about helping a police woman in his rule book. Item Number Two, under the heading "law", he told of two young men beating an old woman to get money to go to a football game. As a result of the beating she died. The young men asked the arresting officer if they'd get out in time for the Cup Final. That's the equivalent of our Super Bowl. On other fronts, Brogan told of a school built for one hundred pupils, but only two were enrolled. It stayed open with a headmistress, a classroom teacher, cook, cleaner and part-time secretary. If the school had sent the two pupils to the nearest school twenty miles away by taxi everyday, they would have saved 17,000 dollars a year. The school finally closed when fifty percent of the student body -- one girl -- transferred to another institution. Then there was the milk program on the Isle of Aran. Each child received a third of a pint of milk each school day supplied by local farmers. Then it turned out the local plant couldn't completely pasteurize the milk. It would cost 68,000 dollars to fix it so that it could. Instead, they are bringing in milk from the mainland at a total cost of 144 dollars a pint. There is more in Brogan's newsy letter. When accountants found that hospital technicians could earn more than 170 dollars for standby duty on Sundays, a union official said, "the accountants should find something better to do". He meant, of course, better than checking up on that kind of extravagance. Every British dock worker has a job for life at 119 dollars a week. He draws this salary even if there is no work at his port or any prospect of work. But Brogan adds a topper - more than 300 London dockers are paid extra wages and handsome expenses to work at Tilbury docks while 300 Tilbury dock workers get the same deal for traveling to work in London. The Dock Labor Board offered them each 1700 dollars to stop this nonsense, but when the dockers learned they'd have to pay tax on the 1700 dollars, they demanded 850 dollars extra. Colin Brogan is an invalid but no crybaby. He writes that due to a number of ailments a large portion of his intestine has been removed. He also has an almost unpronounceable disease in which the bones are softening and his vertebrae are literally melting together. He says, "almost gutless, almost spineless, I am the very image of Britain". This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 76-10-B1 Production Date 03/02/1977 Book/Page Online PDF Audio Youtube? No
		Added Notes The article mentioned could be I'm Not All Right, Jack by Colm Brogan, National Review, February 4, 1977, pp. 151-152