THE COST OF WAR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 14048, 1 May 1946, Page 2

THE COST OF WAR

Sir, —It. has been pointed out at various times that the real cost of war cannot be measured in the millions that roll so readily from the tongues and pens of politicians and financiers. It can only be’ expressed in terms of destruction of life and property, and physical and mental human suffering. The world situation to-day, with many millions doomed to die of starvation and disease, is proof of this without further argument. Unlike the budgetary millions, .the real cost of war exacts payment on the due dafe; no postponement or cancellation of the debt is possible. We in New Zealand, although not immune from loss and suffering to' our population, are fortunate in having escaped devastation of our country. What can we do to help? Not very much. Produce a little more. Prevent waste where we can. The actual shipping and' distribution of food to the people in need is entirely out of our hands, and according to some published reprots, is subject to other considerations as well as the needs of starving millions.'

We can help in the future by maintaining the prosperity of our country; by rejecting the shallow philosophy' so beloved by those in high places that slump, boom and war are inevitable, and by maintaining our independence of world monetary tie-ups such as the Bretton Woods proposals.

• Let us be not afraid of being a “hopeless minority.” New Zealand was one of four countries that refused to acknowledge Italy’s conquest of Abyssinia. Were those four countries a “hopeless minority?” They showed more hope, and certainly more principle and courage than those that accepted the easy and popular path of agreement with the victors whether right or wrong. Finally, let those who scoff at the idea of financial control of the. whole world from New York ponder on the significance of such common newspaper statements as, “As part of the agreement America will insist on . . . .” “Insist on!” What has become of Britain, the land of (ho free, that never, never, never shall be slaves?.—-I am, etc., J, N, BLAYMIRES.