Poland

Press, 20 January 1982, Page 18

Poland

Sir,—The common factor linking Chile and Poland is totalitarianism; the elite maintain power through the gun and not the ballot box. The growth of Solidarity indicated a discontent with State-run unions. A democracy would have tested the extent of discontent through the ballot box, and it is in this regard that the F.O.L. should make a

stand and allow the workers to choose. If. as M. Creel suggests. Solidarity is trying to overthrow the State through the creation of chaos, without the opportunity to do so by the use of the ballot box, then so be it — provided that the system is replaced by a true democracy. It would, indeed, be ironic if communism was overthrown from chaos, which has been a strategy that Communists themselves have used to gain power in the first place. — Yours, etc., D. G. SANDERS. January 16, 1982.

Sir,—Varian J. Wilson says that Big Brother will be with us in 1984. Big Brother could quite easily be the same tyrant that dictates in Czechoslovakia, Rumania. Africa and the New Zealand F.O.L. We still have the chance to reject such a society and also the hell that calls itself “communism.” It is interesting to hear how the Poles consider the Russians as brothers. They explain that you can choose your friends, but not your relatives. — Yours, etc..

R. N. LANGDON. January 19, 1982.

Sir,—The fond illusions which J. Logan cherishes about capitalist agriculture (January 15) would be rudely shattered if he would read the summary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ economic review of 1981 on “The Press" farming page of January 8. Ail over the capitalist world, including New Zealand, agriculture remains solvent only through massive injections of taxpayers’ money.

The United States has its "price support" and "soil bank" schemes, the E.E.C. its farming subsidies. New Zealand its supplementary minimum prices, which are generous Government handouts to protect farmers from the vagaries of the world market. Artificial surpluses are created by governments’ spending millions to create artificial scarcity and its consequences, artificially high prices. Last year the New Zealand Government paid twice the money to farmers that it did to the unemployed. The problems of Poland's agriculture can be resolved by thoroughgoing, socialist collectivisation. Capitalist agriculture’s dilemma is insoluble. — Yours, etc..

M. CREEL. January 18. 1982.