WORLD PRODUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 194, 18 August 1933, Page 6

WORLD PRODUCTION.

RESTRICTION OF OUTPUT WRONG. (lo the Editor.) "If every inhabitant of the world ate three Square meals a day there would b6 an actual scarcity of food. It is not true that there is over-production of food. Millions of people are underfed—and not from choice or fashion's whim." So said Dr. H. Levinstein, speaking on "World Problems of the Chemical Industry," at the imperial College of Science, London, in June last. Yet we have responsible statesmen advocating a restriction of production in order to "raise prices" by creating conditions of artificial scarcity! Why assume that we are facing a crisis of "over-production" when it is. so obviously a Crisis of "underconsumption"? "The world has not nearly reached saturation point for commodities," said Dr. Levinstein, "and it is morally wrong and will be economically disastrous to call a halt in production. Whether we live under Capitalism or Socialism, Fascism Or Communism, we have got to find a method of distribution and exchange which will enable us to match production and consumption, or our present civilisation will perish." Instead of attemptins to thwart Nature's bounty by quotas and restrictions, why not make Our slogan "Three sciuare meals a day for everybody"? 1 R. C. SIMMONS.