Old song?

Published: 9 June, 2011

• IN 1930 Charlie Poole wrote a song called Old and Gray and Only in the Way and recorded it with his North Carolina Ramblers  

So, a song written in the democratic USA 80 years ago can be sung in the democratic UK today because that is how Britain “traditionally” treats its elder citizens, 20-odd years ago or today. 

Omit “old and gray” and, sadly, this is how Britain treats our grand-children as well.

Those born into the “public sector’ of life  (the other ranks) are “traditionally” looked down upon by those groomed and trained in the “private sector” (the officers’ mess) except when the former is needed to fight and fall in some foreign war, and then the “private sector” is even heard praying or writing poems for  the “public sector” as they are wiped out on the first day of the Somme.

BOB DAVENPORT, WC1