, Wimborne. June 23, 1908._

Dear Lord Avebury,-- ... Allow me to wish every success to your Bill for
preserving beautiful birds from destruction. To stop the import is the
only way--short of the still more drastic method of heavily fining
everyone who wears feathers in public, with imprisonment for a second
offence. But we are not yet ripe for that.--Yours very truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE. TO MR. E. SMEDLEY

_Old Orchard, Broadstone, Dorset. December 25, 1910._

Dear Mr. Smedley,--Thanks for your long and interesting letter.... Man
is, and has been, horribly cruel, and it is indeed difficult to explain
why. Yet that there is an explanation, and that it does lead to good in
the end, I believe. Praying is evidently useless, and should be, as it
is almost always selfish--for _our_ benefit, or our _families_, or our
_nation_.--Yours very truly,

ALFRED E. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO MR. W.G. WALLACE

_Old Orchard, Broadstone, Wimborne. August 20, 1911._

My dear Will,-- ... The railway strike surpasses the Parliament Bill in
excitement. On receipt of Friday's paper, I sat down and composed and
sent off to Lloyd George a short but big letter, on large foolscap
paper, urging him and Asquith, as the two strong men of the Government,
to take over at once the management of the railways of the entire
country, by Royal Proclamation--on the ground of mismanagement for
seventy years, and having brought the country to the verge of starvation
and civil war; to grant an amnesty to all strikers (except for acts of
violence), also grant all the men's demands for one year, and devote
that time to a deliberate and impartial inquiry and a complete scheme of
reorganisation of the railways in the interest, first of the public,
then of the men of all grades, lastly of the share and bond owners, who
will become guaranteed public creditors.... It has been admitted and
proved again and again, that the men are badly treated, that their
grievances are real--their very unanimity and standing by each other
proves it. Their demands are most moderate; and the cost in extra wages
will be saved over and over in safety, regularity, economy of working,
and public convenience. I have not had even an acknowledgment of receipt
yet, but hope to in a day or two....

* * * * *

MR. H.M. HYNDMAN TO A.R. WALLACE

_9 Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster, S.W. March 14, 1912._

Dear Sir,--Every