PROBLEMS AFTER WAR

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23002, 23 April 1940, Page 9

PROBLEMS AFTER WAR

RECONSTRUCTION IN DOMINION MINISTRY SUGGESTED BY MR F. W. DOIDGE The suggestion that a Ministry of Reconstruction to prepare for the aftermath of the war should be established in New Zealand -md work with an Empire council was made last night by Mr F. W. Doidge, M.P., in an address at the National Club. He criticised the war effort now being made by the Government and deplored the complacency of the people. “When you think of it, we have entered upon another war only 20 years after the cessation of the last war with all the problems of the last war unsolved.’’ said Mr Doidge. “It is astonishing. Germany had been smashed in 1922-23 by the futile policy of inflation. a measure of which some people thought would not be a bad thing for New Zealand. Twiee France had been panic-stricken by the flight from the franc, Britain was humbled to a point of bankruptcy in 1932 and turned away from the gold standard and America, gorged with gold, was never clear of the spectre of ruin, and the world had faced a financial and economic crisis. “We do not want to be caught at the end of this war in the same position as we were in 1918,’’ said Mr Doidge. Many thought then that they would slip back to the old standards of 1914. The problem would be, having defeated Hitler, what to do with Germany. An Empire Council of Reconstruction should begin work right away. When the war ended, *all sorts of problems would confront New Zealand. The secondary industries had been built up magnificently, but the foundation of the Dominion’s economic structure was the primary industries. Those employed in agricultural pursuits had increased by only 21 per cent, in 25 years, while the number employed in secondary industries had increased by 142 per cent. Although an attempt was now being made to obtain a blanket increase in wages, the farmers’ prices were pegged. If measures were not taken, New Zealand would head fast to economic chaos. The Government had set up microscopic industries which would never pay. It would be well advised to set up a Ministry of Reconstruction so that when the war ended New Zealand would not be unprepared. Apathy of Public Mr Doidge criticised the Government for its “spate of Socialistic legislation” within 10 days of the beginning of the war. What was the explanation for the apathy to-day, contrasted With the intense patriotic fervour of 1914? He ha'd seen five men buy morning newspapers on a train; three read the racing pages, one the general news, and the fifth the war news. Nothing but a ,bomb bursting on their breakfast table would disturb the complacency of those people. For 100 years, New Zealand had enjoyed peace and tranquillity .because of the protection given by Britain and the British Navy. The price of pacifism had been paid when England could not take action, because of disarmament, when Abyssinia and Czechoslovakia were attacked. He also emphasised the seriousness of the Communist menace in New Zealand. Mr Fraser had told them 1 some months ago that the money which, paid for the Communist literature came from an enemy country. The catspaws of foreign countries were traitors and should be treated as such, i