Page:Confessions of an Economic Heretic.djvu/88

 of this and other countries were invited. Its unique value lay in the frank utterances of men representing wide divergencies of mentality and political opinions, yet holding the common title of liberal. I have only to mention a few names in order to make good this statement. A company containing H. W. Massingham, L. T. Hobhouse, H. W. Nevinson, F. W. Hirst, C. F. G. Masterman, J. L. Hammond, the Rev. W. D. Morrison was bound to exhibit wide diversity of opinions upon many topics of current interest. Yet the skill of Massingham and of our friend Richard Cross, Chairman of the Directors, and a master in the art of conciliation, not merely kept our controversies within bounds, but gave to our writings a reasonable measure of consistency which made the Nation a real influence in the new trend of Liberalism.

I have sometimes felt regret that I was never able to pursue my economic studies in the quiet atmosphere of an academic life where I could have developed in a more orderly way my humanist theory, and tested it by lectures and discussions among serious-minded students. But I never had this opportunity. Though I spent most of my time in early middle life as a University Extension Lecturer, I was never invited to apply for any professorship in an English University. I had one or two invitations to posts in America, which I declined. Though I was in friendly contact with the founders of the London School of Economics, it was never suggested that I should go upon the staff. Though