Sir, Many in the United States believe some form of commercial and even political “union” (a word that has near-religious significance to Americans) is desirable for Europe, both to enhance your participation in global markets, and to keep Europe on its peaceful postwar trajectory of settling differences through internalized legal codes.

However, we are puzzled when your bureaucrats speak as if, one day, Poland will be Portugal and Ireland will be Italy. Not only will that never happen, but many of us think that the harder those who believe in a unicultural Utopia push for it to be so, the greater the chance that Europe will return to its old, murderous ways.

We have a saying in our republic: “Good fences make for good neighbors.” Though we do our best to co-operate and maintain maximum civility, at the end of the day, my neighbors and I have interests and desires that do not converge. Likewise a healthy, hopeful, federal society is one that allows, encourages and protects the maximum degree of individualism, while setting strong limits on the g overnment’s power to interfere.

I believe that Europe is not like our homogeneous country, and therefore should not be as “unified” as we are. I hope that, if this draft of the European constitution is not ratified (letters, June 1), then the next one will be less a product of the bureaucratic mind, and instead reflect the desires of 400 million Europeans of many languages and cultures.

Sincerely,
GARY FRANKFORD,
2717 NE 11th Avenue,
Portland, Oregon OR 97212.
June 1.

From Professor Emeritus Anthony Ralston

Sir, For years before I moved to the UK from the US ten years ago I was in favour of the “European project”, and remain so. And, as an American, I am not naturally opposed to constitutions.

Nevertheless, had I been voting in the French referendum, my choice would have been “non”. Why? Because the main problem with the EU is something that the proposed constitution would only have exacerbated: the democratic deficit that gives virtually all the power in the EU to unelected bureaucrats.

Changing this will be damnably difficult. But, until it is done, too many in Britain, France and elsewhere will view the EU as a bureaucracy too far in which they have no say.

Yours sincerely,
ANTHONY RALSTON,
Flat 4,
58 Prince Consort Road, SW7 2BE.
June 1.

From Mr John Sheaff

Sir, Why does Europe seem so determined not to learn from the best? The American Constitution, upon which the government of the world’s most successful democracy has been based for more than 200 years, can be read and understood in half an hour.

What Europe needs is something similar — a concise statement of principles, rather than an incomprehensible prescriptive tome of pettifogging detail.

Also, if the French really wish to do something about economic stagnation and high unemployment, should they not be prepared to learn from the US and the UK, instead of retreating into the meaningless jargon of the “Anglo-Saxon model” and “social Europe”?

Yours,
JOHN SHEAFF,
Apartment 5,
20 Great Pulteney Street,
Bath BA2 4BT.
June 1.

From Councillor Dan Hassett

Sir, There has been much speculation that the Government may not now proceed with a referendum in this country. The Labour Party’s manifesto stated very clearly:

We will put (the EU constitution) to the British people in a referendum and campaign whole-heartedly for a “Yes” vote . . .

In that the French have rejected the constitution partly because it is too “Anglo-Saxon”, it is essential that the British public is given the chance to have a say before any renegotiations take place.

I remain, Sir, your humble servant,
DAN HASSETT,
(Conservative councillor, Folkestone Town Council),
161 Shorncliffe Road,
Folkestone,
Kent CT20 3PD.
dan.hassett@ntlworld.com
May 31.

From Mr Robert Saunders

Sir, I can empathise with Jacques Chirac.

Having struggled with the Samurai Su Doku for far too long, I finally made a breakthrough, enabling me to fill in several key squares. At that stage it seemed that all that remained was a simple tidying-up exercise.

It was not until I reached the final two squares that I was left wondering where it had all gone wrong.

Yours faithfully,
ROBERT SAUNDERS,
Hillside,
London Road,
Balcombe, West Sussex RH17 6HS.
rob@curiouser.co.uk
May 31.

Explore Letters

• Feedback