TAXATION AND DEBT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 192, 16 August 1939, Page 8

TAXATION AND DEBT.

WORLD-WIDE PROBLEMS.

(To the Editor.)

Your correspondence columns we becoming increasingly interesting, in as mnohasthe letters indicate that writers are narrowing the spaces separating them. Socialists, other reformers and present-system supporter are represented, and 'the trend of their thoughts gives hope that they will presently emerge from their state of indecision and discover td source of danger, war and worse—economic slavery. The business (man, the mueh-malijnwd newspaper proprietor, farmer and property owner, championed by the supporter of a* present system, axe all a source of ill-concealed annoyance to Socialists and others, because they seemingly take a profit, but after many years of Socialist, Marxist and Communist teachings and present-system action we are on the verge of what might easily be the catastrophe, yet the causes remain obscure or at best dimly seen. The failure of all 'tfe patiently worked out nostrums is beeomiw apparent, and attention is being directed to the one quarter responsible, thus the n&rrowin* of the spacing. At present all adhere to the belief that taxation is essential, the Socialfet in particular using this means to drive all private business men, farmers, etc., into the control of the State, thus apparently assuring the Socialist controllers of a fear-driven majority at the polls to maintain theai in office. But all reckon without the de'it system which in 60 years has taken £700,000,000 in interest from the people of this country, has increased property valuations from £162,000,000 to £900,000,000 in the same period to maintain this interest, yet a total of £1,000,000.000 debt remains. With such a load of debt on production business men and others cannot profit; it is idle fancy to suggest the prnsi. bility, nor can property owners remain long! in possession, and the people must be constantly deprived of the fruits of our production system, so ably managed as to make th* country four times richer than any other part of the world, population proportionate. What applies in Xew Zealand applies overseas, with the result that all nations strive to be sellers not buyers, all attempt self-sufficiencr irrespective of natural advantages or otherwise, suspicion is aroused, secret diplomacy with inflammatory propaganda fans the flames, and war breaks out. The war to end war cost millions of young lives, and the sacrifice would have been in vain if more of our splendid youth is to be thrown into the mighty maw of the war machine, bat it can and must be avoided; common sense will ■prevail. F. ALLE3T.