SOCIAL CREDIT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 166, 16 July 1941, Page 5

SOCIAL CREDIT

, TRIAL IN ALBERTA j; EXPERIMENT CRITICISED i Evidence that the social credit, theories of Major Douglas have not! been applied with success in the pro-i vince of Alberta, in Canada, has beeni received by the Auckland Chamber j of Commerce, which has been making inquiries in Canada on the' subject. The managing-secretary of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. Blue, has replied stating that social credit has made no progress I in that province. He said that the |Government there came into power by promising every person over 21 years of age 25 dollars a month, and .although they had been in power over six years not one dividend had been paid. "You may wonder how such a Government was re-elected," continued the writer. "We have a very large foreign population, and they will believe anything. Even a rudi mentary knowledge of economics and monetary science will demonstrate the infeasibilitv of such fatuous poli cies. In a word—social credit ha? been a dead experiment in Alberta.' The secretary of the Calgary Board of Trade, Mr. E. D. McGreen traced the history of the social credit movement in Alberta, and said that in 1934-35 Mr. W. Aberhart a Calgary high school principal formed a social credit political party and in August, 1935, was returned to office. The slogan was, "Why should there be poverty in the midsi of plenty." At the next election Mr ■ Aberhart and his party were re turned with a reduced majority. The writer added that after Mr. Aberhart was first returnee there were high hopes among hi.< followers that Major Douglas woulc come to Alberta, and with hi.' experts, institute economic reforrr in accordance with his theory. Ne gotiations were conducted, but Majoi Douglas did not come to Alberta Finally, a representative from Mr 'Aberhart's Government went to Eng

land and engaged two experts to| come to Alberta. One was still in; the employ of the Alberta Govern- j ment. Mr. McGreen stated that he j thought the whole situation could ;best be summed up by saying that |the people of Alberta had suffered through government by amateurs, who had unfortunately not had the I ]benefit of the inspiration derived! ifrom a tangible plan of Government.! .Social credit was still a theory in jthe province, and apart from efforts I i leading to autocratic State socialism! ,there was no evidence of what social; Icredit in practice might mean.